The Garden of Everything
by Suu9
Summary: Gaea, the mother of all creation has chosen Flora to carry out her will as her reincarnation. Love and friendship shall be tested in the fight for Flora's life, as she must find a way to contain the destructive force of nature and make a sacrifice.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the _Winx Club_, nor its characters; they belong to Ignio Straffi and Rainbow.

**Author's Note: **I had been meaning to write a story for this series for some time, but never really sat down and figured what this story would be about. Anyhoo, I am quite a fan of this series, despite it being for a younger audience. So, please enjoy reading this story just as much as I enjoy writing it.

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**The Garden of Everything - Prologue**

During my search to figure out the connection each fairy has with her element, I stumbled upon an amazing discovery. Though Sparx is considered to be the most powerful realm in the Magix dimension, and that the Dragon Fire is indeed the strongest element there is, something more powerful exists. Nature, it seems, cannot be tamed, and because of this, there is no alternative but to let it run its course. Dictating something so natural and wild will bring on terrible consequences- so dire, even I, Faragonda, cannot bring myself to understand. Tampering with nature is a crime above all else.

I learned through my discoveries that nature is a gift, given to us by the most powerful being… Gaea. She, who created the red earth, brought balance and harmony, and created those who would uphold that balance and harmony. She, our mother, the first mother of all creation. She has many names; Mother Nature, the Goddess, Divinity… there are too many to name, but they are all here. However, a strange thing had occurred, something I had not noticed the first time. When her work was done, she settled onto a small planet she had formed with her powerful arms and her bountiful heart. Linphea. Here, on this small planet, where nature grew everywhere and dictation was unheard of, she rested and lived out her days. When her time had come to return back to the earth, she fused with Linphea, her soul coursing through all the plants and underneath its future inhabitants would walk upon. Every tree that grew tall from the earth was her doing- only Gaea could dictate nature, but she was no free with her spirit that she felt no need for laws.

The people of Linphea grew around nature, learning how to take care of it, using it wisely for their survival, and figuring out all possible magical abilities nature could provide for them. In time, Linphea became one of the few planets that rarely used magic and relied on nature and the course it set. There was no tampering with the environment, and all natural creation did what it wanted to do; the people simply followed and learned where their planet was taking them. In time, each individual would have found a connection to the planet; they could breathe in the air and feel the energy course through them, giving them the breath of life.

It was around this time that the guardian fairy of nature was born, Flora. She did not know it yet, but her connection with nature would be a strong one, possibly stronger than any fairies and their own bond. It seemed, unlike all other fairies, that Flora's connection to the earth of her planet would stretch father than Linphea, possibly farther than the entire realm of Magix. However, this hypothesis was only that; it has not been a wise thing to assume greater ends when one story has just begun. Flora is destined for great things, though I fear the sacrifice will be all too great. She will need her friends more than ever, though it will be up to her to accept them, knowing too well what the outcome may be if she becomes distracted.

I was like this with Bloom, a fairy who had lost her kingdom and her family, but was able to find them again after so many ordeals. It was more than satisfying to finally see her reunited with her birth parents again, and take her place with the royal family of Sparx. On Linphea, however, there is no royal family system. The hierarchy of this planet is from a sage. It would make sense that Flora would have been the princess of her world, but since nature is the highest form of power for Linphea, they do not believe in such things. But, she was chosen to carry out the will of Linphea by studying at Alfea and earning her different transformations, making her extremely powerful. Given her hard work, there is something that bothers me. Gaea chose Linphea as her final resting place before she returned to the planet. There is something I seem to connect together; I believe that Gaea chose Flora to continue her will.

Without a doubt, this would make Flora more than just a fairy. Because Gaea had chosen Flora, though this is simply a hypothesis, it would mean that Flora would indeed be the reincarnation of the great goddess herself. I have spoken to Griffin and Saladin, and they both seem to agree with me. It is hard to explain, but they think that all the pieces fit together. I had never thought that I would have to worry about one fairy so much, especially not after the journey with Bloom, but Flora's true powers have not awakened yet, and since she would no longer be a fairy, I am unfamiliar of when her powers would start to surface or what her transformation would be. No living being has truly seen a goddess before, so her form can be anything, though knowing that this is Gaea, I am sure it has to do with the earth and nature.

Flora does not know this yet- I am not even sure if her parents had informed her, or if they even know of this. The rule on Linphea is not to tamper with nature, including Gaea herself. I hardly think anyone on Linphea knows of this, though I think it is for the better; I do not need Flora to be bombarded with praise and worship from her people. Like all living things, nature included, they need space to breath. I am sure if the vessel of Gaea were to be crowded, the goddess herself would become angry. Facing her wrath would be unwise, and could harm Flora more than anyone else. However, my research is far from complete; the connection she shares with Linphea is an obvious one, but if she is indeed Gaea's reincarnation, and the goddess herself has a connection with all worlds and realms, I must see if this is the same with Flora.

Many tales have centered around Gaea, and many of them, if not all, say that she was the creator of Earth. If that is Gaea's birthplace, then it would be wise to have Flora read all that there is to Gaea and the mythology that surrounds her. It would seem so ironic, considering that we ourselves are fairies, and to the humans, we are but creatures of mythology. Working aside from the parchments copied from Linphea's vast history, I stumbled upon a mythological book that centered around Greece and all their ancient gods, goddesses, heroes and titans. According to the Ancient Greeks, Gaea was a titan, but for Linphea, she is considered to be a goddess. If these two Gaea's are the same, then I will see to it that Flora, and perhaps the girls, will enjoy a history lesson told by humans. I will not send them to Earth, as it would be safe to keep Flora here; if her powers were to awaken around humans, chaos would ensue, and the barrier between magic and non-magic folk will be destroyed. Though the girls' last mission was the make the humans believe in magic, this magic is too different from what they have learned at Alfea. Earth's magic is ancient and definitely untamed. It would be horrendous to see what would happen if the slightest mistake were made. And that is why I will keep Flora here at Alfea.

Saladin has shown much interest with this, and like Flora, I will need all the help I can get to make sure Flora sees this through. I have considered in contact the Company of Light to help me on this, but I am still awaiting their answer; it is something hard to digest- the entire realm of Magix thought that Sparx was the most powerful realm in the entire dimension, and though this is true, it was still created by Gaea. To think that such a sublime being has chosen Flora to carry out her will- but what her task is, even I do not know. From all that I have read, Gaea would travel across different planets, restoring peace and balance to those who have lost it. Each time, she would sacrifice herself in order to bring back the harmony that she had first created. And each time when chaos would take over, she would be reborn from the ashes and begin again. A never-ending cycle that still continues on, even if Gaea's presence is inside the planets. She controls the laws of nature through them, ensuring that all is well, but her law is just enough so that she is not dictating her own movements.

What worries me the most is the sacrifices Flora will have to make. I am not sure she is ready to throw away everything she holds dear in order to save so many realms- she is still too young, but Gaea has chosen her- this was done for a reason. I have yet to inform the other girls as well, but for now, all the teachers of Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower know the situation. I fear for Saladin's grandson, Helia, as I know he will take this the worst of them all. I can feel he will not be ready to let Flora go when she makes her choice as Gaea. Even I am not ready to let her go- there is still so much for her to see and do- but I cannot go against what has been set for thousands of years. If this is Gaea's will, then it has to be done, for all our sakes.


	2. Daughter of the Forest

**The Garden of Everything: Part One - Daughter of the Forest**

Bags were dropped onto the floor of her new room; Flora had come to her second home at last. Summer vacation seemed to stretch on forever, and with hardly any contact from her friends and from Helia, it was by far the worst summer she ever had. Good thing it was over, and now that she was back at Alfea, a new school year could begin. However, Flora and her friends were no longer students- this would be their first year as teachers. Had the mission to rescue the last Earth fairy not have taken place, Flora and her friends would have considered this their second year as professors. Their mission took place on Earth for the most part of the year, and thankfully, the boys had tagged along for the journey. It was a good thing too; spending time with Helia during that mission had been wonderful in a new world. His new haircut was a nice change, but they both decided that it was not a look for him, even if it was mean to make him blend in with the surrounding people. Flora was quite glad that he decided to let it grow just as it was before.

The professors wing at Alfea were so different than the students. Flora was beginning to miss being in her room where the tree she had planted had taken root and covered most of her wall and bed. Now that they were in the professors wing, sharing rooms was no longer acquired. Each professor had their own quarters- it would be weird sleeping alone, especially since Flora had shared a room with Bloom for three years, and having no common room that joined them together during their free time would also be missed. Instead, the common room was replaced with a lavish office down the hallway. It was nice, but it would need adjusting to, not to mention their new positions at Alfea; being a teacher was still a new experience, one Flora found pinching herself to make sure she was not dreaming. She was looking forward to her classes- potions and botany were her specialty, and being able to teach her passions to students was motivation enough.

Though, she was not going to lie, the thing she looked forward to the most was spending more time with Helia. He was back at Red Fountain as an instructor, and what she heard from Bloom who had heard from Sky, Helia was taking lessons from his grandfather, Saladin, dealing with magic. From the news, it was a work in progress since Helia never really liked the whole idea of heroism in the first place, and Saladin knew this, but he wanted his grandson to learn all the same, even just a little bit. Spending time with Helia would be difficult, especially with their new schedules and responsibilities, but Flora knew that they would see each other.

A soft knock brought Flora out of her thoughts. "Come in," she said. Faragonda walked in, and immediately, Flora straightened out her skirt and crossed her hands behind her back. The headmistress smiled and walked towards Flora. "It is wonderful to see you again, Flora. I trust that your summer vacation was enjoyable?"

"Yes, headmistress. Although, I wish I could have spent more time with the girls. With Bloom in Sparx and making up for lost time with her parents, and with the other girls and their responsibilities, it's been hard keeping in touch with them. I missed when we were on Earth, and how close we were during our mission…"

"Don't worry, Flora. Things will pick up where you last left off here, trust me. And now that you are professors, you will see your friends more often. It came to my attention that Bloom had wanted to keep you all in the same class, each of you taking a day to show your knowledge to the other students. It's hard work being a teacher, and because you girls are so close to one another, I felt it a good decision to keep you together as professors."

"Oh thank you, Headmistress Faragonda!" Flora rushed to the woman and enveloped her into a hug. She knew that being a professor was going to be hard work, but with the news that she and her friends would be teaching together, it would lighten the load and make the school year less lonely. Pulling away from the headmistress, Flora waved goodbye and set about unpacking her belongings. The room was big enough for three people at most, but it was this size for a certain reason. Professors at Alfea were expected to keep their body of work with them in their safest place, and what safer place would be then their own quarters? She knew that her subject of teaching would revolve around botany, so Flora set to work about making space for all the specimens she had gathered during her summer break and placed them in precise locations around her room; those that needed the most sunlight would take up room under the bay window, while those that required minimal sunlight and cool soil would be placed near her desk that was far from any windows.

Several moments passed, and Flora was finally finished. Her room was looking just like it did back home on Linphea, though the colours of the walls and floor could not be helped. It was a nice room, big enough for all her belongings and plants. The walls were a light sage green and the curtains a lovely pink Floyd- two of Flora's favourite colours and tones. Thankfully there was no carpet in her room, instead hardwood floors; she didn't mind carpet, but preferred to feel the presence of nature as much as she could, even if it was meant for a domesticated use. The washroom was decorated in the same colour scheme, though there was more green than pink, and the closet was so big that there was an empty space in the middle with nothing to fill it. Flora decided to work her magic to make her quarters more homey- she cast a simple spell that allowed a tree to take root in the empty space of her closet, but instead of stopping there, she allowed it to spread and creep its branches passed the doorway and continue on the walls and floor of her bedroom. Brushing the vines aside to look at her spell, she saw that the tree she had created was a weeping willow; it's twisting trunk, branches, and roots melded beautifully against the walls and floor, and its vines were drooping so low that they pooled on the ground. Flora had never felt so home away from home in such a long time.

Happy with her new room, she marveled at her plants and her new tree that would keep her company throughout the year. She was quite nervous for the classes; she had grown as a person, especially after confessing her feelings to Helia two years ago, and with her friends she had become closer to them than ever before. But being around her lover and her best friends was something different than teaching a class full of new faces, especially in the case when they looked up to you for knowledge and advice. But she was more than happy to accept the challenge- something new for her- and it was something that everyone had to face at some point in their lives. Helia had done the same thing when he decided that studying at Red Fountain was not meant for him. However, it had taken him a while to realize that everyone makes mistakes to see that he could make it anywhere in the world as long as the effort and heart was put into it, though it's the loved ones that really make the experience worthwhile, no matter how many bumps along the road. Flora was thrilled when he decided to go back to Red Fountain, though she would miss visiting him at his apartment that they worked so hard on.

She decided to lie down on her bed, and her mind wandered to that afternoon Helia confessed that he couldn't live without her. The girls thought that her relationship with Helia was picture perfect; to them, they hardly got into any fights or needed time apart- to her friends this seemed like the relationship that would last more than a lifetime, but Flora had to admit, and to make her friends realize that just like them, both her and Helia had their share of problems. She would never admit to them that Helia had his doubts during his move from Red Fountain to being on his own- he never told anyone why he decided to leave in the first place, not even after she and Helia had reconciled. The last thing Flora needed was for her friends to learn about the reason why Helia left, which would then lead to bigger problems, and knowing the Trix, problems would arise at the mere mention of their names.

She focused on that night they spent together; good thing that it was the weekend, and without knowing it, her friends had made the excuse that she went back to Linphea to see her family. Had Faragonda and Griselda found out that she went to Magix to see Helia, sure enough they would not have let her go. It was the first time she had spent the night with Helia alone, as usually had this happened, it would have been during a camping trip or on the boys ship during an overnight flight. Without their friends or any gadgets to keep them awake, Flora and Helia had spent the night together. Dozing off slightly, Flora recounted the conversations they had as they stayed awake that night. She remembered how Helia only wanted to be an artist, and that even though he could find himself going back to Red Fountain, being a hero wasn't what he really wanted to do. She listened to him as he talked about his dreams of becoming famous enough to leave the realm of Magix and venture off to new places where no one knew his name, living in a small house and painting all day long. What really go Flora going was how he wanted her to run away with him; they would find a small house to call their own, somewhere in a forest, or near one, and they would be surrounded by nature. Given that they were still young, Helia wanted to live a peaceful life; one that was free of battling monsters and free of magic.

Flora's thoughts wandered to that night as she remembered how both her and Helia were sleeping on his bed, his arms wrapped around her and they both fell asleep. A soft tap at her door woke her up; sighing, she got out of bed and answered the door. It was Headmistress Faragonda. "I trust that you have settled into your room?" Looking around, Faragonda noticed that Flora had taken an entirely different route of décor; she had checked up on the other girls and saw that they were well off, and told them that dinner was going to be served in the main hall. "I see you wasted no time in making this room to fit your tastes," she said while smiling. Flora had been a very good student; always doing her best and encouraging others when they were down. A healthy role model for other students, and at times, for professors.

"Hello, Headmistress," Flora looked at her room and saw that Faragonda was smiling. Flora hoped she wouldn't mind the tree…

"Don't worry, dear. The other girls have taken the liberty to fix their own rooms up, though I must say Stella's room is quite eccentric, but nothing we can't handle. I do like the weeping willow, and I've noticed that each of the girls has transformed their rooms to mimic those of theirs back home. Don't worry, Flora, you're room is not the worst I have seen, and I must say that adding a bit of the wild indoors does make a nice and calming addition."

Flora could only smile as Faragonda spoke. "Dinner will be ready in a few moments. I suggest you come downstairs with the girls before all the food is gone," she said while turning to leave. "Yes, Headmistress Faragonda." Flora closed the door and put her suitcases away in the closet next to the tree. Deciding that she was decent enough for dinner, she headed out the door and walked through the hallway that would link the professors wing to the main hall. While on her way, she did not encounter her friends, and wondered if they had gone on without her. Flora came to the main hall, and saw that her friends had already taken their seats. Layla noticed Flora and waved her down so she could join them. The professors table was long and took most of the northern part of the hall beneath the large window. The wood was dark and gleamed underneath the plethora of lights that were floating overhead. Flora sat down next to Layla and listened in as Stella talked about her summer break.

"It was amazing! We met almost every single day, and each time, Brandon took me out to the most delicious restaurants around Magix. We went dancing, he even took me to the festival of music on Melody!"

"I saw you there, remember," asked Musa, "I had asked Brandon if he'd seen Riven, but he didn't- that festival only happens once every 50 years, and I was so glad that I could attend. I brought my dad along, and he had a blast. What did you do for summer, Tecna?"

"Well, I spoke to my father about Timmy, and he seems to be okay with us being together," the girls cheered at this fantastic news, and once they calmed down, Tecna continued on, "And we were able to meet a few times during the break. Timmy surprised me quite a bit during summer; I was expecting to spend my holidays talking about computers and games, but he took me to some nice restaurants, and even though our discussions were about technology and all that, I was really able to dig deep and figure more about him, like he had done with me…"

"Ooh! That's so exciting, Tecna! Do you think that with our new jobs that we'll be able to see them more?" Stella asked, however, she immediately regretted doing so; she had forgotten that Layla had lost Nabu during the battle with the Fairy Hunters on Earth, and the only thing that she was able to see of him was a flower that would be planted on Andros. It was perhaps the most frightening battle of their lives- none of the Winx girls could possibly imagine the grief Layla went through when losing Nabu, and couldn't imagine what it would be like if they lost their loved ones. Flora placed a hand on Layla's shoulder for support, offering her a small smile.

"Don't worry, girls. It is tough, I won't lie, and some days are better than others, but I know he's watching over me, and that he'll protect me in spirit," Layla said. She looked at Flora and returned the smile. It was clear that she wanted to change the topic. "It was a busy summer break- how ironic- I missed you girls so much." Laughter filled the main hall as students rushed to their friends and began talking of their vacation, as well as what would be in store for them when classes began tomorrow morning. Flora was smiling the whole time at dinner, eagerly listening as her friends talked about their lives while away, what new things happened, and what subjects they were going to teach the students. Stella seemed most thrilled about this; she would be the one to give orders, and assign homework, however, Tecna was there to make sure that she didn't get too carried away.

"This would have been our second year as professors had we not taken that mission to save Roxy. Just imagine, us, being teachers," Bloom said, "I hope I'm good enough to handle a class. I have no idea what I can teach these girls." The girls reassured one another that things would turn out alright. Headmistress Faragonda had appeared in the main hall with the other professors and they took their seats. The main hall went silent.

"Hello, and welcome back dear students. I trust that you all had a wonderful summer vacation, and that you are all ready to start the new school year. We have a new addition to staff, well more like six new additions; I have asked the Winx girls to come back as professors- they were supposed to have taught last year, but a very important mission kept them away, and so this year, they will begin as professors. I do hope that you will treat them with respect and cherish their knowledge, for their experience with magic is extremely vast. I would also like to remind you all," Faragonda turned towards the Winx girls with an inquisitive look, "that curfew must be respected, as usual. Given that all major threats have been dealt with, there are still those who wish to do harm, no matter who or what they are. The realm of Magix is a dangerous place for anyone, and that is why curfew, along with the rules, which Griselda will go over, must be respected."

Faragonda finished her start of term speech, then Griselda went over the usual rules. Once that was done, dinner appeared and the main hall was filled with laughter and a plethora of voices as each girl began talking to their friends, and while teachers discussed matters between themselves. A good two hours passed, and everything was cleared. Each of the students were headed out the main entrance where the start of term party was going to take place in the main courtyard in front of the school. Saladin and his students of Red Fountain arrived, as well as Headmistress Griffin and several witches who decided to attend. The three headmasters talked amongst themselves as their students mingled and enjoyed the music and desserts that were being passed around on floating trays.

The Winx girls were near the far entrance, waiting for a familiar ship to land. Stella began to dance and twirl as she saw Brandon disembark the craft, along with Sky, Riven, Timmy, and Helia. Layla looked on with a sad look, but Flora took hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sure Nabu would have wanted you to live your life to the fullest. He wouldn't like to see you do down in the mouth," Flora said softly. Helia was making his way over, and Flora gave him a smile. "We all miss him, I'm sure, and I don't think anyone of us would want to see you so gloomy, so go on and enjoy yourself; it's just like you said: he'll be watching and protecting you in spirit." Flora placed her hand over Layla's heart, making sure she understood her words. She left Layla and joined Helia.

Running into his arms, Flora embraced Helia, hugging him tightly. "Oh Helia, I missed you so much." He looked down with a smile on his face and ran his fingers through her long brown hair. "I had so little contact with you, it was unbearable."

"I'm here, Flora. I promise you that we'll see each other more; being without you, even for those two months, was hard on me. I had been in my apartment, working on my paintings; Saladin spoke to your friend and worked things out that I could live there for free as long as I earned my keep. He explained that I would be away during the school year. Everything turned out fine."

"That's fantastic, Helia! I'm glad you haven't given up on painting; I love your work."

"You've taught me much, Flora," she looked up at him, slightly confused, "your outlook on life is to be positive as much as possible; my doubts were keeping me from doing that. I still have them, but it is natural, at least from time to time." Flora smiled and nodded. She and Helia had their shares of bumps along the road, but they managed to come through. "I'm very proud of you, Helia. It's natural to have doubts, even I have them, but it just means that we are on the right track. What we went through, those scars will remind us that we are strong, and that we can overcome the toughest of challenges that come our way."

Helia hummed in agreement and held Flora closer. He had seen her console Layla earlier, and it wasn't hard to figure about what; he had been close with Nabu, especially during their mission on Earth. It was hard to believe that he was really gone, though, just like Flora had said, Nabu would not have wanted to see his friends grieve for him. Letting despair take over their lives was something he would not want to happen. "Come; the stars are out and the sky is clear, a walk should do us good."

"Okay," with that, Flora took hold of Helia's hand and they wandered off through the main courtyard and past the main gates. There was no need to put up a barrier anymore, and since this was the start of term party, it was likely that some students would take a stroll through the forests; it wasn't late, but Griselda would make sure that all her students would be inside before curfew.

Helia led Flora to a clearing that was near the opening of the forest. There, a boulder was peaking up from the ground, overrun with moss and vines. Immediately, Flora took a seat near it and motioned for Helia to do the same. Around this area, the branches of trees began to form a canopy overhead, obscuring most of the sky, but just enough could be seen to let the moonlight in. Flora looked around and saw that little flowers were poking out of the grass. They were small buds that looked like teardrops and glowed with the same fluorescent lighting of the moon's rays. She saw that there were hundreds of them, possibly thousands, that littered the forest ground.

"I have never seen this flowers around Alfea before… I don't think I've seen them on Linphea either," she looked to Helia for an answer, but was met with the same confusion. "Perhaps they only show themselves at night- I haven't seen them during the day," she continued, "but they are beautiful. I'll have to ask Faragonda what they're called."

They sat together, leaning against the boulder; hand in hand and Flora's head resting on Helia's shoulder. Together, they enjoyed being surrounded by nature and the calm the night could only bring. Flora closed her eyes, tuning into Helia's breathing; with her hand held in his, she could feel his pulse and the pulse of the earth beneath them. The soft breeze whispered in her ear and played through her hair, making her let a sigh of contentment escape her. A small voice crawled into her ear, whispering a sweet name to her. Flora lazily opened her eyes and looked at the flowers that were surrounding them.

"Moon drops," she simply said. Helia opened his eyes and looked to Flora, about to speak. "These flowers are called Moon drops," she said, "I heard them tell me- they whispered their name into my ear just before."

"I do not doubt you, Flora," Helia said, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead. He sighed when they went back to their previous position, leaning against the boulder, holding their hands and with Flora's head on his shoulder. He could feel her relax against their strong guardian; the smell of moss assaulted his nose and he relished in the scent of nature around him. Flora had an amazing gift, to be this close to nature. Something so natural and untamed was truly a rare gift, and to think she would do all that in her power to make sure that it stayed that way. He had seen firsthand what her powers were, and even in different dimensions, Flora could still use nature to bring peace. She could create bountiful forests, or vanquish evil, or even mend damages done to plants and flowers and making others right their wrongs. It was a powerful gift, and every time Helia picked up a paint brush, he could just envision his Flora as the creation of all nature. He could see her as Mother Earth, spreading her arms far and wide to cover the planets with green earth and fertile soil; her breath would be the wind that whispered through the trees and grass; her voice the sound of animals and the warmth of the sun and the cool rays of the moon. Her body taking on the form of the mother of all creation, Gaea.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind howled through the forest; the Moon Drops and the grass swayed violent beneath the assault, and the trees started to groan as their weight was being tested against the might of the wind. Both Helia and Flora got up quickly and made their way back to Alfea. At the gates, Griselda was trying to calm down the students as she ordered them to form a double line in order for them to pass through the main doors without too much commotion. Faragonda was warning Saladin that the winds were too strong for their ships to take off; instead, she motioned for them to join the girls back into the school. Griffin said her goodbyes and teleported with her students back to Cloud Tower. Students of Red Fountain and Alfea made their way to the main hall where the Headmasters took their place at the northern part of the room, ready to address the students.

"Can we have your attention please," instantly, the hall went silent, Faragonda continued, "due to these events of strange weather, the students of Red Fountain will spend the night at Alfea," giggles and exclamations of happiness passed through the girls; Faragonda cleared her throat and the room was quiet once more, "now, this arrangement will only be for tonight. Classes will start at the usual time tomorrow morning, the boys of Red Fountain will join us for breakfast and will leave soon after. Now, it is getting late, and we must make haste with these new accommodations. Professors Paladium and Wizgiz will be in charge of the extra rooms, while Griselda will be in charge of making sure everyone is accounted for. All the students of Alfea will make their way to their rooms without further questions and delays, you all have a busy day tomorrow. Goodnight."

With that, all the students of Alfea left for their rooms, while Paladium and Wizgiz went about the academy to make sure that the students of Red Fountain had a place to sleep for the night. Flora saw that her friends had already left for the professors wing as they had just kissed their boyfriends goodnight. She saw that Layla was the first to leave. Helia was about to join his friends when the sleeve of his shirt was being tugged. Looking down, he saw that Flora still held onto him.

"Stay with me tonight?" Her eyes were alight as she looked at Helia, waiting for his answer.

"Won't we get caught? I don't think it would be appropriate if the others found out, especially the headmistress, that I was staying in your room…"

"There's too much commotion going on for them to notice, besides, Griselda is keeping track of the students more so than the professors. I don't think she'd have time to notice us leaving together. And I know you'll say that Timmy and the others might notice, but it's only for one night…"

Helia could only smile and be led by Flora towards her room. Thankfully, the girls were still in the main hall, sharing their goodnights once more before retiring for bed. Layla had left early, and was either wandering the corridors or was in her room. Either way, Helia and Flora made it to her room without being noticed. Once inside, she closed and locked the door; the lights had been turned off, but she cast a spell that allowed the lighting to glow gently throughout the room. Helia took notice of the giant weeping willow that was growing from her closet and that practically claimed her entire room with its branches and roots.

"There was so much space in this room, and it felt so empty. It's different not sharing a room with the girls- even our common room is different and is no longer connected."

Helia didn't say anything as he walked up to Flora, wrapping his arms around her. "I don't mind; it's a nice addition to the room, and it makes it feel more alive. Have you seen what the other rooms look like?"

"No, I haven't," she said. A yawn passed through, indicating that it had been a long day and that a good night's rest was in order. "Make yourself at home; I'll be in the washroom." With that, Flora got out her pajamas for the night and toothbrush and headed towards the washroom, getting ready for bed. Helia looked around the room and saw that Flora had already taken the care of making sure her plants were fed and tended to. He could still hear the wind, though it was muffled due to be indoors, however, the howl was just as menacing, perhaps even more, now than outside. Nature was a complex thing; trying to understand it would take over a lifetime, if not several. But it was such a beautiful phenomena that should not have to be questioned.

Flora stepped out of the washroom in her pajamas, which was a pair of pink shorts and a light blue top with puffed sleeves with ruffled fringes. Removing her earrings and bracelets, Flora placed them on the dresser. She came to stand before Helia who began to remove his shoes. She led him to her bed, thankfully was a double instead of a single, and climbed in. Helia followed and was facing Flora, who sat up some to close the lights; just as she laid her head down on her pillow, Helia drew her in closer and wrapped his arms around her body so that she was flushed against him. At first, her face was painted in a deep blush, and her heartbeat quickened, but she willed it to slow down as she felt her body relax against his. Sighing, she tucked her head beneath his chin and rested against his chest; his heart was also beating fast. To calm him down, she placed a kiss on his skin where his shirt was opened a little. She continued to do this for a little while until she could feel Helia's body relax and sink deeper into the bed. They whispered their goodnights as sleep claimed them.

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 2

**2**

_She was walking down a narrow path through a dark forest. Light could barely penetrate the thick branches that formed a thick canopy overhead. She could sense that it was night, for the scents in the forest around her had changed; Moon Drop flowers were illuminated barely beneath her bare feet as she continued to walk on, not even sure of her path. The little buds were her only source of light, but without them, she could understand where she needed to go. _

_Flora could sense that the forest would guide her; the darkness that encompassed this area was getting thicker with each passing step, but her feet continued to walk, as if guided by an invisible force. The earth was cool, but it sent such a surge of energy through her that it felt that she was in the deepest jungle, surrounded by humidity, and even though it was the dead of night, Flora could make out the sounds of the nocturnal creatures as they ventured out from their homes and wandered through their natural habitat. _

_Several moments passed and finally Flora came to a clearing. It must have been the centre of the forest, for the branches overhead gave way to a clear patch of sky; the moon was waxing and full, and the stars were bright, so much so that the heavens were able to shine rays onto the earth below them. Flora looked around and saw that she was in a perfect circle; the trees were formed, perhaps naturally, to look this way, but the forest behind them was dark and melded into each other, as if a great darkness was being held at bay by the guardians that formed this clearing. Turing around completely, Flora saw that she was alone, but a powerful energy radiated from the ground and from the trees. The energy was so great that Flora was forced to her knees, as if an invisible hand pushed her down into submission. But for some strange reason, she knew this power; felt it before. It was no stranger to her._

_The invisible force that kept her down was still present, and she could feel her body begin to grow numb, however, Flora could begin to feel that there was another source of energy, the same one as before, but it alleviated the force that was binding her. She was able to stand up, though she remained on her knees. Instinct told her to close her eyes, and as she did, Flora could hear the trees whisper to one another. Their thoughts passed through her head as their groans turned into words, only which she could hear. The grass beneath her swayed and tickled her feet, and the wind played through her hair, whispering to her. Their words were all jumbled as they spoke in unison, but just barely could Flora make out a few words._

_Gaea. Reincarnation. You. Will._

_Flora was about to speak to them, asking what their words meant, though suddenly an extremely powerful force made the forest silent. It was radiating from the centre of the circle, exactly where Flora was standing. The earth started to rumble, starting off gently, but then became so violent that Flora was knocked back to the ground. She tried to get up and find shelter, but the same invisible force from before kept her down. She feared that she would fall into the chasms that were wracking the surface of the earth, and so she dug her fingers into the moist soil, grabbing onto the numerous roots from the trees that were buried underground. The energy pulsating through them was so strong that it was impossible for her to hold on much longer. Her hands burned from the intense heat, but Flora held on for dear life. _

_A great beam of light surged from the ground, in the centre of the circle. It was a clear sphere, but shining so brightly, it was impossible to tell. The same force she felt from the roots was radiating from the sphere. With each tremble, the sphere got bigger and bigger, until it filled the clearing, Flora included. She was inside; the darkness in the forest beyond the trees that formed the circle was still there, but it seemed to be advancing. Flora looked around and saw that she was above the ground, floating in a way. The darkness pooled on the ground, way below her; at first it attempted to surge upwards to catch her, but the sphere was too high. The darkness made its way back to the ground and started to creep into the cracks in the earth. As if by some will, the chasms closed themselves and the forest was quiet again, however, Flora was no longer amongst the trees and grass. Instead, she was still inside the sphere, floating away from the forest. _

_In a blink of an eye, Flora found herself in a different location completely. She knew that this was no longer Alfea, or Magix for that matter- perhaps not even Linphea, though this location was covered in green a far as the eye could see. She looked around, no longer in the sphere, and saw weird shapes in the distance. Intrigued by their fading shadows as dawn was approaching, Flora made haste up the hill, determined to catch them before they disappeared. Easier said than done; she kept running, but the distance remained the same, not bringing her closer to the summit at all. Out of breath and panting, Flora slumped to the ground. The sun was rising faster than she thought, and before she knew it, the weird shapes were gone…_

"Flora? Flora, are you awake yet?"

She turned in her bed, away from the voice and the light that was spilling through her large bay window. A hand was on her shoulder now, gently shaking her. Sighing and giving one big yawn, Flora sat up in her bed, her hair was slightly disheveled; giving a good stretch of her arms and back, she felt immensely better, her strange dream nearly forgotten. She looked up at Helia, who shared the same bed-head, though his hair was still tied. Flora lifted herself onto her knees to brush away stray bangs that fell into his face, her green eyes peered into his dark ones, just looking at him.

_She's so beautiful_, he thought. Flora was obscuring the window, but since the sun was shinning brightly, the rays appeared around her, illuminating her back and making her appear so ethereal. The sweet smell of her plants wafted throughout the room, making this morning experience one to never forget. He brought her closer and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Flora gasped, but it was swallowed into Helia's mouth as their lips battled for purchase. His arms wrapped around her back, holding her close to his body, while hers were around his neck, holding onto him so she wouldn't fall. Each time they were like this, Flora could swear her body turned to jelly; his soft, full lips claimed hers and his tight embrace secured her against him, never letting go. It was magical each time.

Alfea's clock tower chimed seven times, signaling that breakfast would start in fifteen minutes, and that also meant that the boys of Red Fountain would be on their way soon. Flora loathed to let Helia go, but as she felt his arms recede away from her, she got out of bed and went into the washroom. There, she freshened up, changing into the day's clothes, washing her face and brushing her teeth. She came out and saw that Helia had groomed his hair and was putting on his shoes. Flora was dressed in her favourite outfit; a green shirt that stopped at her midriff and had puffed sleeves with a pink skirt that had drawings of strawberries on it and green sandals with light green straps and a flower on the buckle. She went to the dresser and put on her earrings and bracelet, and just as she was about to head to her door, Helia stopped her.

"It wouldn't be a good idea if the others saw us leaving your room together. I'll leave first and wait for you in the hallway further down near the main hall."

Flora nodded and allowed Helia to go out first. She waited a few minutes, looking through the glass of her door to see how many people were walking down the hallway. When she spotted Layla and the others, Flora held her breath; they did not notice her, but she could hear them talking amongst themselves.

"…so strange; I did not see Flora join us in the common room last night."

"I know, but I think I saw her leave with Helia when Griselda was busy counting the students…"

"Left with Helia? If the professors found out that she had a boy in her room, especially in the teachers wing- Griselda and Faragonda will flip!"

"Calm down, Stella. I said I think I saw them- they were possibly saying goodnight to each other, and I'm sure Helia left with the other Red Fountain students with Professor Palladium."

"I don't know, Tecna- I got a call from Sky last night after we left the common room to go to bed, and he said he didn't know where Helia was. He said he never showed up, and his grandfather, Saladin, was also looking for him…"

Flora's heart sank; Sky had proof that Helia was not with them, and she completely forgot that Saladin was there with his students. Not to mention that there was the possibility that Saladin could mention this to Faragonda, or confront Helia about this- she had no idea which would be worse. Ten minutes passed, which seemed like a fair amount of time to make Helia wait; she opened her door and saw that the girls were down the hallways, saying hello to Helia. Stella was the first to bring up their discussion just moments before.

"Hello, Helia. Did you have a good sleep last night?"

"Good morning, Stella, girls. Yes, I did, as a matter of fact."

"Did you find the rooms of Alfea to be to your liking?"

"Stella, that's enough. So what if he was- I'm sure if you had the chance, you'd let Brandon sleep in your room. We're not children anymore," Bloom's voice could be heard. She was quite curious as to why Flora would do something like this, but it wasn't to be ashamed of. Bloom would have allowed Sky to stay with her for the night, and she was sure that the other girls would have done the same.

"Tut, tut- it's the rules, my dear Bloom-"

"-since when did you care about rules, Stella?"

"Flora?"

Flora came up to stand by Helia, who wrapped his arm around her waist. The other girls did not fail to take notice of this, and even though this was something he had always done with Flora, today, it seemed that their suspicions about last night were true. There seemed to be no more arguing about the subject; Flora was quite right, Stella never really cared about the rules of Alfea, not if she could help them, but aside from this truth, Griselda and Faragonda were making their way down the corridor. The girls and Helia quickly went through the doors and took their respective seats. Flora saw that Helia went straight for the Red Fountain table, and that Saladin was about to question his whereabouts when Faragonda began to speak. Sure enough, when it was time to leave, the headmaster of Red Fountain would speak to his grandson.

For now, however, all the students and professors enjoyed their meal and listened as the headmistress of Alfea welcomed her students on their first day of school and classes. When the meal and speech were over, Red Fountain began to prepare for their journey home; the winds outside had receded last night, and the weather was in perfect condition for flying. The Winx headed to their boyfriends to share last minute goodbyes. Flora spotted Helia and went straight to him.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. I promise."

"Oh Helia, if you get caught- I don't know what-"

He silenced her with a chaste kiss. "Don't worry, Flora." She could only nod as they shared one last kiss before he left through the main doors to the courtyard where their ships were. Flora raced to one of the windows, looking out as each of the Red Fountain students embarked on the ships. She potted Helia and placed her hand on the window, a sort of goodbye to him. He wasn't able to see her and he left on the ship, along with the last of the students. Next thing she saw were the engines as they came to life and took off into the air.

Turning away, Flora saw that the main hall was nearly empty; all of the students and most of the professors were in their classes, ready to begin their first official day of school. However, in the main hall remained Flora's friends and Faragonda. She walked toward them and waited for the headmistress to begin their talk.

"Now girls, I know that this would have been your second year had you not taken the mission on Earth, and I'm sure most of the students will know this too, however, I want you to do your best this year. Don't be intimidated by the students- you're not exactly fresh from graduating, but you do have a better knowledge of what it was like to be a student recently. The two gifts that the Ethereal Fairies gave you-"

"Hold on, Headmistress- they gave us three gifts…"

"Yes, they did, Musa. However, I hardly think that you'll be using the third gift on the students, don't you think?"

A few chuckles were passed around before Faragonda continued, "As I was saying, the gifts of wisdom and courage will be useful to you girls. I know this isn't a life-threatening mission, but having doubts and getting lost amongst this sort of thing is all the same; courage and wisdom are not only used for special occasions, but on a daily basis. The more you use them, the stronger you will become- perhaps not in transformations, but in overall life and in everything you do. Using these gifts, especially in this case, is a good way to learn new things, even if you are the professors this time around. With that said, I hope you'll have a wonderful first day."

The girls were about to leave when Faragonda's voice stopped them. "Flora, may I have a word with you?" She turned and left the main hall, most likely heading to her office. Flora looked at her friends and saw that they shared the same confused look she had, though in the pit of her stomach, she hoped this was not about last night. Giving a nod, she left in the opposite direction towards the headmistress's office while her friends went to their assigned classes.

The door to Faragonda's office was closed, but as she was about to bring her fist down in a knock, a voice from the inside stopped her. "Come in, Flora." She opened the door and saw that Faragonda's back was towards her, facing the window. Closing the door quietly, she just stood in the centre of the room and waited to be addressed. "Before we get started, I want to say that I know about you and Helia. Though I am quite disappointed that you have broken the rules about visitors, even under last night's circumstances, I should take into consideration that you still went with your idea. However, I hardly think that I should punish you for your actions; I remember my time as a student and as a young professor- I have gone through what your friends are going through, but you must promise me that this will not happen again."

Flora was rooted on the spot. It was foolhardy to think that Faragonda would not have noticed, especially in her own school. Her mouth suddenly dry, Flora could only nod as this part of the discussion was finished.

"Good, and now onto the more important part," Faragonda turned around and was now facing Flora, "I have come across some interesting documents- ones I had no idea still existed. I'm sure you're well aware that the Dragon Fire is the most powerful element there is in the realm of Magix?"

"Yes, Headmistress Faragonda."

"Alas, did you know that is not the truth?"

Flora looked up from the floor, clear confusion in her eyes. Faragonda could only smile as she came to stand by her. "Are you familiar with the tale of the mother of all creation?"

"You mean Gaea?"

"Correct; she is considered to be as such, as she is believed to be the one who created planet Earth, or who gave life to it, depending on the myth. However, in all the myths and legends, Gaea is considered to be the same thing: a goddess. She is worshipped by countless people and tribes, some still exist today, thinking she will come and deliver judgment on those who have done Earth wrong. What intrigued me most was that Gaea's birth and final resting place was not planet Earth, but Linphea."

Flora looked to her headmistress with utter shock. Considering that Linphea was the planet filled with nature, it was not a far fetched story, and it seemed to fit, given that humans believed that fairies were simply fairy tale creatures of ancient folklore. Gaea, it seemed, was also along those lines; Flora had read many stories where the humans of Earth considered her to be a titan or a goddess, depending on where the story was from. She found it fascinating that such a being could create the Earth, along with nature and life. But never would she consider that such a thing was born on her home planet.

"It is quite a shock, even for me- the longest time, everyone thought that Gaea was a human creation to tell stories- something that did not exist. But with my recent discoveries, that does not seem to be the case. It is likely that she created all the other planets as well, including that of Earth, but it seems that Linphea, your planet was her favourite, and she left the cosmos with a task in mind… Flora, you may want to sit down before I tell you the rest, here," Faragonda drew out a chair for the girl, indicating that she sit down before anything else was revealed.

Flora took a seat, her hands gripping the wood tightly, so much so that her knuckles were turning white. She had anticipated a talk like this with her headmistress, however, she was not looking forward to it. Though hearing the news that Gaea's birth and death had taken on Linphea was news to her, Flora had suspicions that something else was in wait for her. It was custom that one chosen fairy on Linphea take on the duty of guardian, as the Sage of Linphea dictated. This way, the inhabitants of the planet could live in harmony with nature.

"It was revealed to me, through those documents and a few visits to your planet way before you were born that you, Flora, would be the reincarnation of Gaea."

Her hands went slack on the arm rests of the chair as this information passed through her head, somehow as an echo. Flora could see Faragonda's mouth moving, perhaps she was still speaking, but no sound came out. She looked around and saw that the office still seemed the same, though there were minute changes, such as why was there a weeping willow growing right next to her, or why the mirror next to Faragonda's desk showed an image that was unfamiliar, but at the same time familiar? Flora concentrated on the image, which seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as she blinked her eyes. Faragonda had disappeared, or she was still there, but her presence was no longer in the room.

The figure in the mirror was touching the frame now; it looked like to be a woman who was covered in different shades of green. Her hair was wild and flowing, filled with insects and vines, and her body was covered in the same colour as her hair, though her dress, if she was wearing one, was fluttering about her form, making her appear as one entity. Nature and human form collided with this figure, making it hard to distinguish between the two. She came closer still, leaving the frame and gently placing her feet on the floor. It looked to Faragonda, who appeared to be frozen; Flora followed its gaze and saw the same exact thing. It then turned to Flora, her green eyes locking with hers, and though Flora looked upon this being as she was, she could not help but see herself standing there. Flora blinked, then blinked again and saw the same exact image of herself standing next to Faragonda's desk. She saw herself in the whisping clothes and the green hair and eyes standing right there. When she walked towards the chair, life sprouted at her feet; plants and flowers grew from where she placed her foot, and when she stepped up, those plants and flowers wilted and died. The same process happened over and over again until the creature was standing right in front of Flora; the sunlight never reached her as the creature soared to a great height, taking up the entire room. All sorts of plants and flowers grew from her dress and took control of the room; vines crept along the walls and floor as flowers sprouted from them. It opened its mouth, and without a sound, the windows shattered, letting the warmth of the sun in, making the plants grow at a faster pace.

In less than two minutes, Faragonda's office was turned into a jungle of various plant and animal life. Insects buzzed around and arachnids formed their webs in the corners of the room and niches of tree trunks and branches. Flowers dotted the floor with their lovely scents and their dazzling colours. Snakes, birds and small animals made their homes in nooks and crannies in different areas of the room. Nature was brimming so much here that Flora could hear the hum of life as it surrounded her. Its very breath rustled her hair as she sat there in the room, surrounded by life of all sizes and matter.

A crack brought her attention to the mirror where the figure first appeared. Flora turned her head and saw that there was a giant line running diagonally on the mirror's surface, but the creature was nowhere to be seen. Flora looked again and saw it trapped inside the mirror, its figure getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely. As if a breath washed over her, Flora turned around and saw that the office was back to how it was before; all the plants and animals were gone, and Faragonda was looking at Flora with a peculiar look through her bespectacled eyes.

"I see, so she already has an influence on you."

"W-what just happened, Headmistress?"

Faragonda waited several seconds before speaking. "That was but a fraction of Gaea's power. She knows that you are here. Not only that, but she also senses that you are ready to carry out her will. Ever since you and the girls have reached your levels of Believix, along with the Sophix and Lovix, your powers have increased immensely. Gaea has taken notice of this; she feels that you are ready to do what she has planned you for."

"I d-don't understand- I thought you said that she died-"

"My child, nature cannot fully die, you above all else should know this. No, Gaea is very much alive, though she is not in her true form- she doesn't need one- she can communicate to you through nature, just like you do when you talk to the trees and other plants. Her voice falls on the wind and, like a message, is delivered to you."

"But that creature- the one that came from your mirror… wasn't that…?"

"I may have been frozen in time, but I did witness what was going on. Such is the power of a goddess. I saw what she did, and though it may have only taken place in your mind, nature cannot be hidden from anyone. Gaea may be an ambiguous goddess, but her intentions are pure. She wants to keep Earth and all other planets alive for as long as possible. Her mission is similar to what you and the girls had to go through on Earth; making humans believe in fairies. Gaea is attempting to do the same, though she wants to make humans stop abusing the planet and poisoning it. She is merciful, but it can only last for so long. It will only be a matter of time before she seeks vengeance on those who have done wrong, and this is where you come in, Flora."

Flora slumped back into the chair, waiting for Faragonda to continue. It seemed that her entire life was being told to her by her headmistress, though there was little Flora could do to say anything about it, as if her existence had been planned to accomplish one thing only.

"Like Morgana, who wanted revenge against humans, Gaea may attempt the same. She has chosen you because of your nature towards others; your positive thinking, your bright outlook on life, and your never-ending struggle to see the good in everything and everyone. She admires how you faced your fears; not by running away, but delving deep to figure out the problem, and thus coming up with the solution. Of course, being the guardian fairy of Linphea must also be taken into consideration, but it was foretold, before you were born, the Sage predicted it; you would carry out Gaea's will, thus trying to find a way to make humans and nature coexist with one another."

Flora knew her headmistress was not finished. This task seemed easy enough, and using her Sophix powers could help her greatly with this since the people of Earth believed in fairies.

"However," Flora's heart sank, "there is something you must know. To complete this task would seem easy enough, as you already possess the right tools to make things right amongst humans and nature, but it goes beyond that. Earth has taken drastic measures to secure the environment, and have accomplished much in ways of preventing more pollution and abuse to nature, but it is not enough… Flora, planet Earth is dying. No matter what means humans take, it is not enough to make up for the thousands of years of damage caused through evolution. Earth's death is inevitable, and with Gaea's waning powers, she can't hold out much longer."

She was at a loss; it was one thing to restore a tree or a plant back to life, but an entire planet?

"I-I wouldn't know how, Headmistress… this is an entire planet, not just a cluster of plants and trees… I can't… I don't…"

"What Gaea is asking of you Flora will not be easy. It is a great sacrifice- one that must be thought of carefully. I would have liked to given you a time frame of when this might take place, but since this is Gaea we are talking about, the sacrifice is something that no one should have to face… Whatever choice you make Flora, know that I, and your friends, will be by your side the whole time."

Flora was silent for several moments. Faragonda had not said what her sacrifice would be, and she had a feeling that whatever it was would not be something she would willingly give. "What is the sacrifice that Gaea wishes of me?"

Faragonda closed her eyes, her hands folded beneath her chin, contemplating on telling Flora or not. Seeing as how the answer would come about whether she wanted to give it or not, Faragonda wanted Flora to hear it from her than from Gaea herself. Knowing such a task would be needed to be tread with caution, Faragonda chose her words carefully.

"Gaea, she wishes for you to give up your body to become one with the Earth and use your powers to bring back life to that planet."

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 3

**3 **

_"Gaea, she wishes for you to give up your body to become one with the Earth and use your powers to bring back life to that planet."_

She just sat there, looking off into the distance, not really caring where her eyes landed, or if she was looking at all. Her body was numb; the feel of sitting in a chair did not register to Flora, as she felt herself falling down a dark pit that somehow appeared and intended to swallow her whole. The silence that followed Faragonda's last sentence hung so heavily in the air that it made the headmistress want to choke.

"Flora?"

She did not move, but her eyes wandered to Faragonda, who seemed to sigh softly. The headmistress hesitated with her next movements; she wanted to leave her desk and come to Flora, but she feared that her former student would need space after this news. Faragonda was regretting asking Flora to meet her in the office this morning. This was supposed to be a relaxing year for the girls, sure enough, something like this was not needed. Somehow, this task became urgent. Faragonda wanted to believe that this was all some sort of trick, hoping to get her nerves frayed- if it was a prank or not, it was certainly doing a good job. However, concern for Flora was top priority; she would understand if the girl wanted to leave for her home planet and make the final preparations. There was also the matter of telling the other girls who were very close with Flora, not to mention Helia, who certainly would want to know about this.

Faragonda allowed silence to reign a few moments more as she delved into her memories. She recounted a time when she recently spoke to Saladin and Griffin about Gaea, the latter thinking the mythological being something out of a fairy tale; ironic though that she was the headmistress to a school that housed witches. Faragonda knew that her good friend would turn around and come to her side when the time was right, this would be no exception. Saladin was easier to sway; he was a sorcerer, and such ancient tales told by humans thousands of years ago was something he liked to pursue as a hobby. Though when he was shown the documents the headmistress of Alfea had managed to borrow, his simple hobby turned into deep fascination. Faragonda had not told Saladin who Gaea's reincarnation would be, for at the time, she was uncertain of who it was herself. Then, it could have been anyone, even if the proof was indeed from Linphea, though it was hard to deny the obvious truth. She made Saladin swear that he would not tell his grandson.

There was also the matter of Flora to attend to. She would hope Flora would tell her friends. Faragonda knew that each fairy had faced some obstacle in their life, and she knew that each of the girls was there to make sure their friends made it out alive. No doubt Bloom and the others would rush to Flora's aid and make sure she would live this through. But given the sacrifice the fairy of nature would have to make, Faragonda was not sure if Flora could come back. Gaea wanted Flora to give up her life so she could become one with Earth and save it from dying. This would be a tough situation; because Gaea had created the Earth, she was strong and invincible during the early days when the planet was still young; then came evolution. With it, the planet was used as a factory to create new inventions that would lead the human race to its pinnacle. The humans eventually exhausted their resources, and in turn, made Gaea weak. Because of this, the goddess would need a new vessel to lead Earth into another eon of prosperity. What better way to carry on her legacy through a fairy of nature?

She looked up at Flora, who was still sitting there with a vacant look on her face. Sighing once more, she got up from her chair and walked towards Flora, crouching down in front of her; she took the girl's hands in her own, clasping them tightly.

"I am terribly sorry, Flora. Had this not been an issue of dire importance, I would not have said anything so hastily. But you must understand that even Gaea herself will want an answer, and only you have the power to communicate with her," Faragonda paused, brushing the back of her hand along Flora's cheek, "remember that your friends will be there, but you must tell them. This is not something you have to deal with on your own, Gaea may have chosen you to become her vessel, but you do not have to carry the weight by yourself…"

A sniff broke Faragonda's words she saw that Flora's face was brimming with tears. Her heart broke at seeing the girl crumble before her eyes, however, she was sure that this was only the beginning of her suffering. It did not make any sense that this girl would have to give up her body and become one with a planet that was not even her own, but the fact that Flora was the fairy of nature, and nature knew no boundaries- just as long as it could flourish and grow, and as long as no one tried to dictate it or overcome it. The silence still hung heavy within the office, with the exception of Flora's ragged breath. She could not do this alone.

"I am sure Gaea has not decided to contact you after what happened just now, so you will have time to rest and collect your thoughts, but I implore you to tell the girls and Helia- I am sure he will want to know what has happened- or will happen. As for your job at Alfea, do not worry about teaching; take all the time you need to get things straight. Now, I am sure you will like some time to yourself. I'll call the girls in before the day is over and inform them, briefly, about what is to come. It will be up to you to tell them everything."

Flora slowly got up from her chair, without saying a thing, and headed to her room. She was thankful that the corridors were still empty. She did not think walking to her room with the hallways filled with students coming and going would do her any good. The walk to her room seemed like an eternity, but when she came to the familiar doors and opened the handle, she looked upon the space that would be her home for the entire year. The giant weeping willow that took much of the space of her room was a comforting sight to her weary eyes. As much as she loved being around nature, the prospect of what was to come made her eyes downcast and look away from her plants. She walked to her bed, and slumped atop the comforters.

It did not take long for sleep to claim her, however, her dreams would not be pleasant. Flora fell into a restless slumber, but she could hardly do anything to prevent it. Her vision went black, then to a hazy white that looked like a thick fog. Swirls began to form, weird shapes appeared, but the fog was so dense that it was nearly impossible to make them out…

…_She was running up the hill again, this time determined to reach the summit. Flora knew that this dream was something new, but deep inside her, she could feel that she had been here before; she knew this place._

_The familiar voices that filled her head last time came to her again, their whispers were stronger this time, and now she knew what their message meant, though it still pained her to realize what she would have to do in order to appease Gaea. But now was not the time to stray to past conversations; Flora had a mission to complete- she needed to be at the top of the hill before sunrise. The voices in her head urged her on, feet pounding on the grassy slope as she ran to her destination. The same effect she had last time was coming to her again; the plains were moving farther away as she ran. This illusion would not break, no matter how far her legs brought her. A few moments later she was out of breath, thinking this whole thing was pointless. There was no way she could reach the summit before the sun rose._

'_That is because you are thinking like humans do. Use what Gaea has given you, and only then will you reach the top of the hill. A human body is weak and fragile, not suitable for what you need to do. Accept the earth into your body, and you will reach your destination…'_

_Flora looked around to see who had spoken, but no one was around for miles. Turning her head this way and that, she scanned the area, but could not detect a presence. Whatever it was must have gone after it had spoken, but its aura was still there… she could feel it._

'_I am all around you, Flora…'_

Flora woke up with a sudden jerk and an intake of breath. Her eyes opened and she saw hazy figures standing above her.

"Flora? Flora- are you alright?"

It took her several moments to realize that voice was familiar. She blinked several times and saw that the person who had spoken was Bloom. The room was still dark, and it was hard to tell who else was in the room, but judging from the silhouettes, Flora guessed that all her friends were with her. She closed her eyes and opened them again; they were still there.

Bloom had taken Flora's silence as something to be concerned about. She looked over to Layla, who was closest with Flora and walked over to her.

"I know that you and Flora are close- maybe you can try talking to her," Bloom said. "Come on, girls, we'll wait in the common room," whispered Stella. They left, leaving Layla and Flora alone.

Layla stood right where she was, unmoving. It pained her to see Flora go through this; Faragonda had informed them that their friend would be under a lot of stress, mentioning Gaea and going over the story she had told earlier to Flora. Each of the girls showed an interest in the myth, listening aptly as their headmistress went over everything. It put them all into a whole new perspective; Bloom was quite amazed that the Dragon Fire was not the most powerful element throughout Magix- but even more so that their friend was a reincarnation of a goddess. Tecna had been trying to see the truth behind the myth, but at every turn that she thought she had found a loophole, her theories were stumped by proof. Not even her pixie, Digit, could figure out a solution to this. The overall concern was what was to come and become of their friend. Faragonda had said that Gaea held much power- possibly more power than the entire realm of Magix- and Flora's safety through this was their top priority. Bloom had made a promise to their headmistress that as long as they were all together, they would not allow harm to come to Flora.

Several moments passed before Layla advanced to the bed, sitting down on the edge and just looking at Flora. She could tell her friend was awake, as her breathing had changed, but she tried to fake it. Knowing this, Layla was sure Flora was not ready to talk, even if her friends knew the situation. Layla stayed where she was, not moving. Getting Flora to talk would be hard, but at least she could remain there as silent support; she would wait until Flora was ready to speak, even if it would not be tonight.

Flora was lying down, facing the direction of the bay window. She knew that Layla was still there; she could feel the added weight on her bed, but her friend made no move or sign to begin talking. It was not much, but right now, words were useless. The silent support Layla was giving was all that she needed. To be alone would have been too frightening; her thoughts would consume her, leaving her cold and fearful of what was to come. But having Layla here was enough to make her see that she did not have to go through this alone, even if she did not want to talk.

A breath hitched in the darkness, which made Layla turn towards Flora; her body was huddled together in a fetal position, she had not felt the bed move, but hearing strangled sobs leave her throat was enough to make Layla leave her spot on the bed and come to where Flora was. Crouching down so their faces met, she took Flora's hands in her own, clasping them tightly. This action was mimicked, the same one Faragonda did in her office. Tears stains lined her cheeks, and Layla took the back of one hand and gently wiped them away. There was nothing she could say now- what good would it do?

Layla toed off her shoes and climbed into bed with Flora, wrapping her arms around her friends trembling body in a tight hug. She would be here for as long as Flora needed; a shoulder to cry on and be her silent guardian. Layla smiled when her actions were reciprocated; Flora buried herself deeper into Layla's embrace, her arms were folded and hugging against her as her knees were still drawn up, curling against her friend's body.

They lay together in silence, no words passed between them. The only sounds in the room were the hitched breaths and sniffles that came from Flora. Layla's arms tightened around her friend, telling her that she would not let go, no matter what came at them. Whatever ordeal Flora would have to go through, Layla wanted her to know that she would be there every step of the way.

As if a blanket of warmth spread through her, Flora could understand what was going through Layla's mind. She gave one last sniffle before closing her eyes and letting sleep come once more. There would be no dreams tonight, at least she hoped. Instead, Flora prayed that a warm darkness was waiting for her in the Sandman's realm. She could still feel her friend's arms wrapped around her, and though she loved Layla very much, she wished the one holding her was Helia… she still had to tell him about the news. He, above all people, should at least know what would become of her. Thinking of him sent a quake through her body and her shoulders shook with sobs. To never see his face again, or to be held in his arms, or feel his kiss against her skin… it was too much. She broke down crying in Layla's arms, not bothering to muffle her sobs as she thought of what her future held in store for her…

It did not take a sage to know what Flora was thinking. With the news she heard from Faragonda earlier, all Layla could think about was what would happen to Helia and Flora. Her friends stood by her when she lost Nabu; the sting was still fresh, and thinking about him made her eyes shine with tears, but she knew he was watching over her, watching over them- his friends. Flora would need all the strength she could get, from her friends and loved ones, to see this through. No doubt when Flora would speak to Helia, the news would either break him or make him stronger; to fight by Flora's side as she conquered her ordeal.

Flora had succumbed to sleep already, though the only thought passing through her mind was if her friends knew the complete truth about all this, they would understand that there was no hope.

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 4

**4 **

_'Flora… Flora… why are you sad, my dear Flora?'_

'_You must accept what has been prophesized. You will carry out Gaea's will.'_

'_Flora… are you there? There's no need to hide. I will protect you.'_

'_There is no backing out now, child. She has chosen you.'_

'_I love you, Flora. Show yourself to me, I will keep you safe…'_

'_Do you wish to endanger the lives of countless souls? You are their only hope; Gaea can no longer continue on in this world; Earth needs you, Flora, to save them from judgment day. When all hope has failed, the humans will need you to save them. Do you wish for Earth to be destroyed?'_

'_Listen to your heart, Flora. Do what must be done; it will be the right choice…'_

"Flora…"

The warm darkness was receding, leaving her cold and alone. She was not plagued by dreams, but an unless torrent of voices whispered inside her head, hoping to sway her answer. The first voice was what gave her warmth, while the second was the darkness. It was hard to distinguish who's belonged to whom, and as hard as she tried, no name came to mind.

Now that she was back in her world, Flora noticed that she was lying in bed. Layla was no longer beside her, but the space she had slept on was slightly warm, indicating that she had recently gotten up. Still weak, she remained lying down, but took note of where she was; still inside her room, however, she could feel the presence of several people. She could feel that they were trying very hard not to stare at the lump that was beneath the comforters, but even she felt the edges of anticipation gnaw at her nerves. Taking the first move, she rose up slightly, propping her body on shaky hands, and looked at who was in her room.

Someone gasped and shuffled movement told her that this person was looking for the light switch. Thankfully enough, whoever it was that turned the light on kept a reminder to make sure it was on low. Flora looked around and saw that it was Stella who illuminated the room, while her friends, along with Faragonda, Griselda, Saladin and the boys of Red Fountain were gathered in her room. There was slight discomfort due to the willow's roots and branches having commandeered the room, but they somehow managed. Without her knowing, Layla had informed the others back at the common room, as well as the headmistress, who also called the others. She looked at them, drawing the covers to her chin and drawing up her knees. It was quite embarrassing to see so many people in one room, however, there was not a single smiling face amongst her professors and friends; they all looked at her as if they had seen a ghost.

Helia seemed to be worst off; he was in the back, but his tall form could be seen from over all the heads. She saw that his eyes were closed and his lips were drawn in a tight line. Brandon placed a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, Flora felt like she had done a great wrong, but it wasn't her fault- she had just received the news about Gaea- regardless, she felt as if she had betrayed a great secret. She guess that Saladin had told his grandson, and he in turn confided in his friends. Flora did not know how much Faragonda had told Saladin, but it could not have been as much as she had been told herself. Judging by how Helia's eyes were downcast, she think her headmistress did, and that was to go for all of her friends.

Flora already knew what the others would say; she would have taken too long to tell them, at least until it was too late. For her own good, Faragonda had taken matters into her own hands. She was grateful that her headmistress was looking out for her, she really was, and in truth, Flora had no idea of how to break the news to her friends, especially not the last part where she would have to give up her body to become one with Earth.

As if reading her mind, Faragonda stepped up. "Flora, I'm sorry- but they needed to know. We will do everything in our power to make sure this doesn't happen. I am sure there is another aro-"

"There isn't," Flora whispered, "there is no other way… she told me… she told me…," she could not even finish her words before shoulders began to shake and as sobs racked her throat. Falling back onto the bed, her hands balled into fists as she cried out, not caring that so many people were looking at her.

Layla turned to see Helia storming out of the room, his footsteps hardly making a sound as he ran down the corridor and towards the main door that would lead to outside. A loud crash resounded through the professors wing; to anyone who had seen him, Helia pounded on the great oak doors with so much fury that all thoughts of him being a pacifist was a front. Anguish tore at his body as he slumped to his knees, hands planted on the door, chest rising and falling rapidly from his ragged breath. Meanwhile, back in Flora's room, she was nearly hysterical with sobs. Stella and Musa backed away near the door, holding each other, tears falling down their faces, while Bloom was leaning on Sky for support; she too was crying. Tecna was looking around the room, her eyes kept landing on Faragonda, as if their headmistress would have all the answers; her eyes were frantically going between Timmy and her headmistress. Saladin had left the room in pursuit of his grandson, while Griselda went with him, shooing off students who were blocking the corridor.

"Come, we can't do much here. I'll check up on her later when things have simmered down," with that, Faragonda led the rest out of Flora's room, directing them to her office. Once there, she would inform them more on the situation. As they passed through the corridor, the students who were gathered around remained silent; Griselda had told them nothing, but by judging how their headmistress kept her head down and her eyes averted, they could feel that something was wrong. Griselda took hold of the situation and ordered the students to clear out.

"Alright, that's enough! If this hallway is not cleared in three seconds, I'm giving you all detention for a month! Get moving this instant!" Griselda, barking her orders, the students made haste when they knew she made no empty threat. Faragonda and the others found themselves near the main door, where Saladin was comforting his grandson, who, to all their dismay, was shaking in fury. Helia did not acknowledge as the others stopped in front of them, or even made an attempt to get up. Saladin could not persuade his grandson to comply, and so Layla stepped in, taking Helia by the arm and lifting him up; she put his arm around her shoulders, while Brandon came up to them and took the other, supporting him as they began to make their way to Faragonda's office. Tecna came by Timmy, her face was somber and looking ahead, not really watching where she placed her feet; Timmy took hold of her hand, gave her a reassuring nod and followed along with the others; Stella and Musa were still together, opting to link their arms as they walked along; Bloom, Sky, and Riven brought up the rear, slowing their steps so they could talk before confronting the situation.

"So, Faragonda thinks that this Gaea will take over Flora's body?"

"She didn't say she thought- it's already happened, Sky… Faragonda said that Gaea has some influence over Flora, though the connection isn't as strong. She thinks this is a good thing."

"How come," interrupted Riven, "now- of all times, why now?"

Bloom shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but there has to be a good reason, and I'm hoping that we'll find out tonight."

Silence was their companion for several moments before Sky decided to end it. "I wonder how Helia's going through this. That last bit of information Faragonda said to us was a complete shocker. To think… that Flora may have to sacrifice herself in order to…," he pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. "Whatever this is, it's not doing Helia any good. I just hope we have enough strength to see them both through this."

Bloom and Riven could only nod as they walked on. They stopped after several minutes, finally standing in front of the headmistress's office. The doors opened by themselves; Layla and Brandon wasted no time in placing Helia on a divan that Faragonda had conjured from thin air, while she pulled out a chair for Saladin. The others chose to stand, watching their headmistress take a seat behind her desk.

"There's just one last bit of information that I need to tell you before we set off on this task. You all know the story behind this; Gaea chose Flora as her reincarnation, and in turn, Flora must sacrifice herself to become one with Earth…," Faragonda looked to Helia for a few seconds before continuing, "…the reason she has demanded this is because the planet is dying-"

"What? No!" exclaimed Bloom, Sky placing a firm hand on her shoulder, while the others looked at her.

"It is the truth, Bloom. However, this problem can't be fixed with our magic. A fairy's magic is useless against beings like Gaea. You must all know that Flora was never meant to become a fairy, but since the Sage had never informed her of what would become of her, your friend was left in the dark. By earning her different transformations, Gaea had taken note that her vessel had become stronger, which would be perfect for when Flora needs to become one with Earth- though I hope it will not come to that."

Helia began to stir, all eyes were on him. "Flora," he groaned.

Layla looked down at her feet; if this reincarnation process were to be complete, then Flora would cease to exist. This all too familiar of dread washed over her; she had not felt this way since the day Nabu died.

"When you say become one with the planet- exactly what does that mean?" whispered Stella. Bloom jumped, startled that anyone had spoken in those few moments of silence. She looked out the window and saw that dark clouds were forming.

"…I'm not sure, Stella. Though this is where we come in; we will need to go through extensive research. We know that Gaea wants Flora to save Earth, but we have to find a way that can make her change her mind…," Faragonda knew that swaying the decision of a goddess was as good as surviving on the sun, but she could not tell them that the situation was hopeless. Her girls had faced nearly impossible situations before, and she had faith that Bloom and the others would come through. Gaea was a merciful goddess, surely there was a way.

"We won't give up, Ms. Faragonda," Layla said.

Headmistress Faragonda nodded her head. Now, with motivation in place, all they needed were the right tools. "I'll give you special permission to go about the restricted section of our libraries, as well as accessing libraries on Linphea. I suggest you start here for now; the semester will be quite hectic, and most of you will need to be in top shape for your classes. I know that helping Flora is your top priority at this moment, but please know that your classes will need you too. I will take on Flora's case full time, and you can join me on the weekends and whenever you have free time to spare. You will need to stay close to Flora as well; I am sure that she can drop some clues that will surely help us."

With that, she sent the girls off while she bade goodbye to Saladin and his students. Helia was conscious, but Brandon came to his aid and made their way out of the office. They were out in the hallway until Helia freed himself from Brandon's grasp, banging into a wall and slumping down to the floor. Brandon turned around, alerting Saladin and the others.

"Get up, Helia."

He did not answer, instead, Helia focused his gaze on the floor before him, his eyes set and his mouth cast in a frown. "Take me to Flora," he demanded. Timmy looked to Saladin with apprehension written all over his face; he did not like where this was going.

"Helia, there is nothing we can do at the moment. Headmistress Faragonda told me that she will contact us tomorrow. As for now, we need to get back to Red Fountain," said Sky, he was trying his best to keep a level head, but in truth, what he had heard in Faragonda's office really upset him.

"Take me to Flora!"

It seemed that standing around and trying to talk sense into him would do no good. Riven sighed, placing his hands behind his head and tapping his foot impatiently. Sky took note of this and it did not help his mood any, but decided to not say anything. Right now, their priority was seeing Helia board the ship so they could go back to Red Fountain. Brandon and Timmy advanced towards Helia, but he suddenly jumped up and backed away from them. The last thing they wanted was to draw attention to themselves. Saladin came up and placed a hand on Sky's shoulder.

"Let him go, Sky. I think being with Flora may help him, and possibly make her feel better. We need to make sure they get through this intact, and keeping them apart may do more harm than good, no matter out intentions," with that, the headmaster of Red Fountain turned away and walked through the main door and into the courtyard. The sky overhead was pitch black with clouds, and the distant rumbled of thunder could be heard. Boarding onto the ship, they each took their seats as Timmy got them into the air; giant rain drops splattered on the windows as they ascended and took off.

Helia was watching them through one of the windows along the main corridor, thankfully his outburst had not alerted any of the students to come out of their rooms. He watched his grandfather and friends take off into the cloudy night, rain obscuring the windows as he made his way to Flora's room. With each passing hallway, he was met with silence and vast empty space; all the students and professors had retired for the evening, the only person awake was Knut, and he was busy cleaning the corridors. Helia's boots echoed throughout the halls as he wound this way and that; he had only been to Flora's room twice, but it was enough to have the path memorized by heart. What seemed like forever, he was finally entering the teachers wing; one of the doors was ajar, and he could hear voices coming from within, a dim light was peering through the crack and spilling into the hallway. He passed by, taking note that it was Bloom and the others in the common room. He did not stay to figure out what they were talking about, though it wasn't hard to figure out what.

Quietly, he walked slowly passed the door, and only after a few feet ahead did he look back to make sure that no one had heard him. A few more paces and he was face to face with Flora's door. Praying that her door was not locked, he grasped the handle and turned; it opened. Swiftly opening it so it wouldn't groan, he swept in, his cape fluttering behind him as he closed the door quietly and locked it. There was no light in her room, but Helia could make out Flora's sleeping form on her bed, tangled in her covers. Carefully, he navigated through her room, trying not to trip over the roots and vines of the willow.

Flora was facing the window; hair was disheveled and her mouth was parted slightly. Helia stood over her, his back to the window; his body but a mere silhouette due to the lack of moonlight from the thick accumulation of storm clouds. Closing his eyes, Helia breathed in the scents of Flora's room; the musky scent of soil from all her plants; the aromas from all the flowers; the powerful presence of the tree that took root in her closet. He felt more at home here with her than anywhere else in the world. Removing his cape and toeing off his boots, Helia climbed into her bed, gently untangling her body from the covers that had wrapped around her like a deadly vice. Fanning out the material around them, he lay down, taking Flora in his arms; wrapping them around her body, hugging her close.

He turned his head slightly so that his lips were on her forehead. Her breathing, he noted, was deep and regular. Helia hoped that her peaceful sleep would hold out until morning. Pursing his lips, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll be the one to protect you, Flora. I don't care if I have to brave the darkest dimensions to keep you with me; I will. If your fate can't be avoided, then I'll follow you. As long as I am with you, I don't care what happens," he whispered before kissing her again. Soon after, Helia fell asleep.

_To be continued..._


	6. Chapter 5

**5 **

The covers were too tight around her; constricting her movements, Flora tried to free her arms from underneath, but they were backed up against a strong chest that was covered in a familiar material. The lights were off, but she could make out the seams perfectly with her fingers. The faint smell of canvas wood and paint filled her nostrils as she breathed in deeply. Keeping her eyes closed, Flora let herself be washed in the sensation of having Helia close to her. She did not know how he made it back, surely she thought that he would have left, or have been forced to leave, when he stormed out earlier. Whatever the case, she did not want to know; right now, the warmth that enclosed her body was not so bad as she thought.

Helia could sense her stirring, but made no move to get up. His arms wound themselves tighter around her, a reflex if anything, and turned his head slightly so that his face was pressed into her hair, inhaling the smell of musky earth and of the leaves that would have danced in the wind. Holding her close, Helia did not bother to remember why he had left the others in the first place; he did not think about what was said in Faragonda's office; Gaea did not mean a thing to him. Just staying with Flora like this, for however long their moment of peace would last, was all that he wanted. Flora's breathing lulled him to a state that was between awake and dreaming; sleep was heavy on his body, and all Helia wanted to do was to sleep again, but his mind was awake, which meant that he needed to get ready for the day. Surely his grandfather would make his way, or send the others to get him. Helia was sure that after yesterday, a serious explanation was in order.

Sleep did not come as easily as he thought, and try as hard as he might, his body was on high alert and completely conscious. Still lying down with his arms around Flora, he stayed awake, thinking about what was going to happen. There was no denying that what Faragonda said was true, and if Flora was to go through this, then he would need to find a way to help her. But where would he start?

Flora was awake; she arched her back and stretched her arms. Looking up, she saw that Helia was deep in thought; his eyes were open and his mouth was set in a slight frown. Bringing the incident of yesterday to light. She did not want to involve Helia anymore than she had already, but knew that this would be harder than she thought; Flora knew that Helia would stay by her side, no matter what, and it did not matter what she said- he would be there. It was comforting to know that she had Helia around- more than comforting- he was her saviour. Flora could always count on him to be by her side when she needed him, and even if she didn't, he would always be there.

Helia looked down and saw that Flora was fully awake now; his eyes were dark and deep, exploring hers, waiting for a moment to speak to her. However, wait as he did, nothing could come up; he knew she wondered why he was here, and even though he wanted to explain to her, the words could not form themselves. Soon after, she was untangling herself from his arms and the covers and made her way to the washroom. Helia sat there, head lowered and looking at his hands. What did he have to do- to prove to Flora that she did not have to go about this alone? Didn't she see that he would be by her side, no matter what?

In the washroom, Flora was mimicking Helia; her head was lowered, but she was looking nowhere in particular. The steam from the hot water from the shower head was fogging up the mirror, and soon after, the entire washroom was moist with hot air and the sound of the water spouting from the shower-head. She had made no move to take off her clothes and get in; simply sitting on the tubs arm, gazing at different areas of the small enclosed space. She remained there, for who knew how long, but a gentle knock on the door disturbed her non-existent thoughts and made her look up; the room was covered in steam- it hung thick in the air, so much so that she had to wave her hands in order to see where the door was. Getting up slowly, she made her way to the door, but hesitated when her hand enclosed on the handle. Flora steadied her gaze on the wood as the knock resounded again and again, each time with a little more force. She knew it was Helia, and sure enough, for him to do this, she had been locked in her for some time.

"Flora? Please… open up. I don't want you to go through this alone."

She didn't say anything. Flora was simply standing on one side, while Helia on the other. She knew if anything were wrong, he could break down the door. She knew he could, and so did he. But somehow, both their strengths left them. The entire situation was about Flora now and this being that was caged inside her. Flora could feel her restraint weakening, and at any given moment, whatever was inside her, Gaea at most, would flush out her powers and given them to Flora. From there, the road was covered in fog; she was unable to see where it would take her, and if this road was dangerous or not. She was never a girl who took risks, not like her friends, but even at the most desperate situations, she always had help. Somehow, with all this, she felt that even though they said they would be by her side, Flora had the feeling that Gaea would not let them.

Flora placed her hand against the door, feeling the moisture buildup and how the wood expanded due to the steam. Closing her eyes, she envisioned Helia on the other side, however, this other side was not her room, nor was it Alfea at all…

White stretched on forevermore as she looked through door, watching Helia standing there, waiting for the door to open. He was oblivious to what was around him; the stark whiteness that surrounded them both went unnoticed by him. She wanted to call out, make him realize that they were no longer at Alfea, but found out that her voice was gone.

Flora tried and tried again, even the noise she made while pounding on the door was absorbed into the silence. He still stood there, not even aware that Flora was in front of him- somehow the door opened to reveal them both in the same exact spot, but he could not see her. Instead, his eyes were filled with another vision; Helia was looking upon the same being Flora had seen while in Faragonda's office. She stood tall, her height was undetermined, and she was covered in different shades of green. The very steps she took sprouted life, and she walked towards him, the life that was given wilted away; whatever plants and flowers grew from her feet died as she took a step closer. Helia noticed this, but he was so transfixed at the image before him that he could not move away.

Flora, who was behind Gaea, saw all this through her. She must have made a part of herself invisible so that her vessel could see what was going on. Flora wondered in Gaea were to touch Helia, would he wilt away just like those plants? It was not something that she would sit and wait out. Leaping past Gaea, she ran in front of Helia, who continued to not notice her and blocked their paths. Gaea halted and looked down at Flora. Her expression was blank, and even if this was the being that was going to bestow Flora her powers, she made no move to get out of the way. Gaea seemed unbothered by her vessel's actions and stayed put. She shrunk her height so that she was level with Flora and stood there like a living statue.

All thoughts of Helia vanished as Flora looked in Gaea's eyes. She saw both life and death taking place simultaneously, over great periods of time and of great distance. Gaea made no move to remove herself from Flora's path, instead, she smiled so sweetly that Flora's breath was caught in her throat.

"Why have you chosen me?"

_You are the daughter of the forest._

"What does that mean? What does any of this mean?"

_You are the daughter of the forest._

"You said that already- what does it mean? Why am I here?"

_Daughter of the forest._

Flora looked away impatiently, gazing at the great expanse of white that surrounded them. She could feel Helia behind her; his breathing was steady as if he was well acquainted with this place.

_You were chosen because you are the daughter. I have chosen you because you are the daughter. You have accepted because you are the daughter._

Flora made no move to answer these cryptic words. Whatever they were, they were only wearing her patience thin. She wanted to get out of here.

"Why have you chosen me?" she said after a while. "What does this all mean? What am I supposed to do- how can I do what you ask of me?"

_You are the daughter of the forest. The forest is all around you, surrounds you, embraces you- you are everywhere the light touches. The thinnest blade of grass to the massive trees that touch the sky. You are the wind that howls to the mountains. You are the river that flows into the sea. The clouds that cover the sky, and the rain that falls and that is soaked up by the earth. I chose you because you are the daughter; I am simply the earth that contains you._

"What?"

_You are the daughter… all in due time. Everything shall be revealed. I will come to you when the time is right. Go back to him._

"W-wait! What do you mean by all this? Please tell me!"

Flora's words went unheeded; the white plains disappeared and she was back in her washroom; the hot water had gone cold and the stead eddied away. Her hand was still on the door, but she could not tell if Helia was still there or not. Not even considering to wait, she turned the handle and opened the door. Whatever steam was left spilled into her bedroom, making her look like she had emerged from a celestial planet. It took her a few seconds to see that Helia was still in the room. He was seated on the bed, head in his hands. He was probably unaware that Flora emerged from the washroom for he did not look up.

Flora walked carefully to where he was. When she got closer, she saw that his fingers were clenched in his hair, gripping it so tight it nearly came out of its roots. Gently reaching out, she grasped his hands in hers and eased them away from his hand, clasping them and bringing them to her chest where she cradled them.

"I'm so sorry, Helia…," she whispered.

His head was still bowed, not even looking at her, but he could still hear the hitch in her breath as she began to break down before him. She had to understand that whatever she would encounter, she needed to know that he would not leave her side. Helia had to find a way to make her see this- but forcing her would just make things complicated.

"I haven't been aware of what you have done for me- what you continue to do for me, and I am selfish for not allowing you to be close… but you have to realize that, no- that isn't it. She is the one who is controlling me. I can't make her sway her power any more than I can walk away from all of this. She needs me for something, and I can't let you get involved. I have a feeling that whatever this is, it will be something terrible and wonderful. I want you to be there… but I can't… I don't know how to explain it better than this. Please understand…"

"I am trying to, Flora. How do you think I felt when Faragonda told me what was to become of you? Do you honestly think I'll sit by, idly and watching you suffer through this? I can see it that you don't want this- that you're fighting for your life to get by without doing what this thing is asking you to do…"

"She's asking me to save a planet-"

"A planet that isn't even your own! Whatever time we spent on Earth is no more. We're back here in Magix, and you're here with me."

"Don't you care about the people that will suffer because of Gaea?"

"…no, I don't. I don't understand how this Gaea creature creates a planet and intends to destroy it simply because of what's been happening these past millennia. What about your home planet, Linphea? What of your family and friends? What of me?"

"Helia…"

"What of me, Flora?"

"Those people… I can't…"

"What of me," he whispered. Helia knew now where Flora's heart lay. Try as he might, he knew he could not win. Whether it was really Flora that was speaking or that Gaea had taken control, he wasn't sure. But for now, hearing her ignore their fate together cut him deeply. There were many times when he brushed her off because he was unsure of himself; his doubts clouded his judgment to see what was really there and who was by his side the whole time. Now, as he was facing Flora, trying to get her to see what was to become of them, doubt began to surface from a dark place deep inside him. It made him think that they no longer had a future together. He saw before him a woman who was hell-bent on a mission that could very well take her life. She was already becoming undone, submitting to the entity known as Gaea. Helia was losing Flora, and he had no idea how to bring her back.

Staying here any longer was only adding salt to the wound. She could not see this, but every time her eyes averted towards the floor, unable to look at him, the gash in his heart grew bigger each time. She knew what he said was true, but her good will and need to help others prevented her from seeing this. The need to save others who didn't even know you was something Helia was all too familiar with. His days at Red Fountain taught him that; not everyone a hero saved would know their name or face. Being obscured by anonymity was something he had gotten used to. He wondered if the people of Earth even knew Gaea existed. Making them believe in fairies was a feat on all its own, but to make them understand that some goddess created the world they lived in, only to have it collapse because she was angry at them was something entirely different.

How was Flora supposed to contact the humans about their fate. Would they even remember her? Helia removed his hands away from Flora, balling them into fists at his sides. He was cursing Faragonda for making Flora go through this; when they finally had a time of peace, the headmistress of Alfea had to inform Flora of what was going to happen. Couldn't she have let the girl live in peace, if only for a little while?

His anger towards Faragonda was unjustified, and his doubts in Flora were tearing him up inside. He made a promise that he would be there for her, no matter what. She had come through for him countless times. Abandoning her now would destroy her. He would stay, whether she wanted it or not. He was not going back to Red Fountain, Helia was sure his grandfather would understand, but if he didn't, he would make no move to explain his actions; Saladin did not have to know his grandson's every move.

"Flora… I made a promise that I would be by your side till the end. I am still keeping that promise. Now, you have to promise me something. Promise me that you'll never allow yourself to go through this alone again. You know that I am here, willing to do everything that I can to make you see this through. Watching you come undone before me was something I couldn't bare, and to watch it again would destroy me. Promise me that you'll let me in from now on."

Flora remained silent. She had no idea what to say to this. How could she explain to Helia the task Gaea wanted of her?

_You must become one with the Earth…_

Gasping softly, she looked in Helia's eyes and saw raw emotion. Denying him would be a fate worse than death. Flora could not live without him, she knew this now. Distancing herself away from him would destroy her, but keeping him close would torment him because she knew that sacrificing for a planet that was not her own was the ultimate price. Becoming one with the Earth- she understood what it meant- Gaea said it herself; she was the daughter of the forest…

…Gaea wanted to be reunited back with her daughter. The goddess had no intention of leaving Earth in Flora's hands. It was simply a matter of not being able to save them on her own. Gaea needed Flora to bear the burden with her; needed to restore life back where it was required most. Was this something similar to when the humans of Earth forgot in fairies? Did they need to understand that their home was slowly dying and that even with her help and Flora's sacrifice, the humans needed to do their part to ensure their future on Earth?

"Helia, I think I understand what Gaea wants me to do…"

_To be continued…

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_

AN: Sorry for the pause; school resumed for the semester and I've been quite the busy-body. The story will not be updated as frequently now that I have higher priorities in order, but this story is far from finished. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you to all who have reviewed this far; your words are loved.


	7. Chapter 6

**6 **

Faragonda was sitting at her desk, pouring over the tomes of volumes she had requested from Linphea. Nothing seemed to make any sense. Everything she had told Flora came from these books, but for some reason, all that information was distorted, as if it was all one huge lie. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Faragonda turned the pages dully, skimming over the words in a passive-aggressive manner. There was no mention as to what Gaea intended to do once Flora submitted completely, only her theories, which up until this point, had always been correct.

But all those times she had been right, the situation always revolved around Bloom. It was easy enough to understand how much Bloom wanted to find out about her lost lineage, and though the path was obscured by many obstacles, Faragonda was confident that she could find her way. However, with Flora, it was a different matter. Faragonda thought that Flora would be all too pleased to find out that her planet was the home of the mother of all creation, and that she had been chosen as Gaea's vessel… perhaps wording it a different way would have made the girl see things in a different light. Faragonda was not entirely sure what Gaea had planned for Flora, though helping the goddess save Earth was one of them, fusing together with the planet was something she was not entirely set on.

She thought it would have been best to leave that part out when talking with the fairy of nature. And now that Helia was in the picture, it would be hard to follow the set path. Faragonda wondered how lenient Gaea could be with this new situation. Not that it mattered; Gaea had established a connection with Flora, and only she could communicate with the goddess- everyone else was nonexistent.

The headmistress kept on reading, jotting down notes whenever she came across something new, or had possibly skipped over when she had first looked at these tomes. The words 'daughter of the forest' kept cropping up in various pages. Thinking that this was something of significant importance, Faragonda wrote the words down and kept searching.

Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes turned to hours.

Her eyes were drooping while one hand was turning the pages of the tomes and the other was jotting things down. Had someone come in, they would have seen that Faragonda's desk was littered with the words 'daughter of the forest', some of them overlapping each other and creating a dark spot on the wooded surface. She seemed to have entered some kind of trance. The conversations she had with Flora flowed through her mind as her hands still continued to turn pages and write notes on the desk. This continued on for several more minutes before Faragonda was able to shake herself out of it.

"What just happened?" Looking down at her notes, a small gasp escaped her mouth; her desk was covered in ink, the words 'daughter of the forest' scribbled on the surface hundreds of times and the tomes had all been opened, each of them on the same page number- all of them holding the same exact words she had written. Dropping her quill, her head was in her hands as she took in deep breaths.

"Perhaps it's best to allow Flora back to Linphea so she can discover all this on her own," Faragonda said to no one in particular; her office was empty, and since it was a Saturday morning, all of the students and teachers were probably still in their rooms. Faragonda tugged on a house coat and made her way to the main hall for some breakfast. Uneventful was her meal, but she did not mind the silence that accompanied her. Instead, it was quite comforting since her head was filled with words that raced through her brain, giving her a slight headache. Once finished with her light meal, Faragonda took a mug of tea with her up to her office, where she began to neatly stack the books atop each other and clear off all parchment and ink stains.

She had thought long and hard this past morning and knew that it was a good idea to send Flora back to Linphea for answers. Making a mistake would be disastrous, and she knew that Flora would have liked to figure things out on her own. Set on the idea, Faragonda would wait a few more hours before going to see Flora.

Flora and Helia were sitting on the bed, the comforters piled up between them and with several of the pillows on the floor. Flora had just finished telling Helia about what had happened in the washroom, telling him what Gaea really wanted of her.

"She didn't say anything about what would happen if I did join her, nor did she say what would happen after all was said and done."

Helia's back was towards Flora, and she had been sitting sideways; her body was facing him, but one leg was bent at the knee on the bed while the other on the floor. Her left hand was clenched at her chest as she supported herself with her right. Helia still would not turn around and face her.

"I'm not entirely sure how to go about this-"

"There's nothing to discuss, Flora. You've made your decision quite clear. You'd rather save an entire planet than focus on what you have now."

"You don't care what will happen to all those people, Helia? You don't care that I can make a difference- that I can save them?"

"It is not your decision to make. Gaea, or whatever it is, made up her mind to punish these people-"

"So, what you're saying is that I should do nothing and let an entire planet die? I may not have a connection with Earth like Bloom does, but it's still a living planet. There are billions of people who will die because of your selfishness."

"You think I'm selfish?," Helia whipped around and faced Flora, anger and shock in his eyes. "You think I'm selfish? Up until now, you had no idea what would become of you. Until now, you thought that you could live a life as a teacher, not knowing this was going to happen. I honestly thought that after following you to Earth to save Roxy and destroy the Wizards of the Black Circle, that we could finally be together without anything getting in the way. I thought that our lives could be peaceful and without any fighting or losing loved ones. And you think I'm selfish?"

Tears were flowing down Flora's cheeks as Helia spoke, his voice getting louder and louder. She had wanted these things to happen; Flora wanted to settle down with Helia and think about their future together, but ever since Gaea made herself known, these things would have to wait. If she could have a chance at saving an entire planet, even if it wasn't her own, Flora would do all that she could to make it happen. Gaea herself was not a hostile goddess; she did not want the destruction of Earth to come. But the humans had to learn how to take care of their planet, and they needed Gaea's help to see that come true.

"You don't think I want those things, Helia? How I want to see the world with you, settle down when the time is right and watch our family grow? I want these things, I really do. But not now- not when they need me."

"What about my needs, Flora? What about me? Don't I matter? What about your family on Linphea- do they even know what's going on? Do they?" Helia was yelling now, anger had taken over, distorting his face which made him nearly unrecognizable to her. She was becoming scared of what was in front of her; this wasn't Helia. This wasn't the man she had fallen in love with. This was someone else.

"Fine. Do what you want. I can't seem to make you hear your words, what they truly mean. If this is what you want, then you've won. I want no part in this."

And with that, Helia gathered his belongings and left Flora. Storming down the hallway, he could see that some students were beginning to wake up. Girls were lining down the corridors, getting a good look at him as he passed by, unaware of their staring. Some girls were eyeing him like a piece of meat, ready to pounce at the exact moment, but he was walking so fast that their plans were annulled. Helia stormed out of the main hall, just as when Bloom and the others took their seats to eat breakfast.

"What's Helia still doing here? I thought the boys left yesterday," Stella inquired. The girls turned their heads and saw that she was right, Helia was still here, though he was walking fast, so there was little point in catching up with him.

"Perhaps he got an urgent call from Red Fountain," Musa said as she took an apple and bit into it. Tecna was pilling scrambled eggs onto her place and began to peel a tangerine. Bloom was looking in the direction of the teacher's wing, seeing if Flora would come and join them.

After breakfast, there was still no sign of Flora. "We can't wait for her, Bloom. We have papers to correct, remember?" At the mention of correcting homework, Stella and Musa groaned, looking outside the large windows. "But it's such a beautiful day- we do we have to spend it indoors correcting homework. I'm beginning to think that this teacher business is no better than being a student." Crossing her arms, Stella was led by Musa back to their lounge room, all the while receiving a reprimanding speech by Tecna, who said that "just because we're professors now, does not mean we don't have responsibilities. Our students are counting on us to make sure we steer them in the right direction, and slacking off will bring them zero results."

Their voices got dimmer and dimmer as they walked further down the corridor to where their 'responsibilities' awaited them.

Flora was still inside her room, still sitting on the bed and in the same position she had been earlier this morning. Helia had left in such a rush it left her whirling, even if she was seated. His words cut her deep; the truth sliced at her skin, making her go through such pain and torture. But every word he said was right; she did not have to go through this- forget all about it and live her life in peace- ignorance was more like it. Now that she had been exposed to what Gaea had been going through, a peaceful life would have to wait. Flora could not sit idly by and watch an entire planet suffer. Most of it was their doing, but the humans needed a push in the right direction to get them going- but would it be enough to convince them that their planet was dying? And if she could convince them, then perhaps becoming one with the earth would not need to happen. A surge of hope passed through Flora as she gently got up and made her bed.

She opened the windows, allowing the morning breeze to play around her hair and freshen up the room. The sun was poking out through cirrus clouds, and right off the bat, Flora could tell that it was going to be a beautiful day. All thoughts of what happened this early morning were slowly easing their way out of her head, making it easier to focus on what was to come. If things went well after a few days, Flora would call Helia and ask to talk- perhaps him hearing the news would make him change his mind as to where they stood as a couple. Brushing out her hair and donning her light green summer dress with a pale pink flower print and her sandals, Flora headed out to the main hall to get something to eat. It was on her way there that she spotted Faragonda, who looked like she could use a decent night's rest.

"Oh, hello Headmistress Faragonda… you look extremely tired. Is everything alright?"

"Oh, oh yes Flora, I'm quite fine. I was up all of last night finding some more information on Gaea and what her connection to you might mean. Not much luck, I'm afraid."

Flora had her head bowed; she forgot that Faragonda was doing all that she could to find answers, and not once did she even consider helping her headmistress in this at all. It seemed all Flora could think about was what would happen to her and Helia when she went through with her choice.

"I'm really sorry I haven't been much help, Headmistress. But I think I can change a new leaf this moment. I have something to tell you, though I don't want the others to hear… I've decided to not include them in this. I think this is what Gaea wants."

Faragonda wasted no time. "We'll head to my office immediately, then." She guided Flora down several corridors and through several staircases, until finally, they were standing in front of a pair of familiar oak double doors. With the turn of the handle, Faragonda lead Flora into her office, where the headmistress took a seat behind her desk, leaving Flora to stand before her. She did not wait a second more before telling Faragonda everything that happened pertaining to Gaea earlier this morning.

"I see. And this just happened today- no other occurrences?"

Flora shook her head. "Well then," Faragonda continued, "it would seem that I have no choice but to send you back to Linphea."

At this, Flora looked confused. "I had been meaning to go back myself, but since the connection between you and Gaea has grown stronger, it would seem right for you to go instead. After all, this is all about you, Flora. You need to figure things out as well. I can only bring you so far before you have to venture on your own."

"When do I have to leave, Headmistress?"

"Immediately."

"But… I-I- really?"

"I know that this is new territory for you, Flora, but you must understand what Gaea truly wants. If she means for you to be reunited with her, then you have to delve into the myths and legends your planet has kept secret. I could not access them because it is not my right to do so, but you are from Linphea, and now that you will become Gaea's reincarnation, then you have all the access you need to know of her. It is best if we do not waste any more time. Come, I'll walk you past the gates and I'll use a teleportation spell to get you there quicker."

"What if I used my Believix powers?"

"These past few days have left you weak, Flora. I don't want to take a chance in case something comes up. Only use your powers when it is an emergency, otherwise, don't use them at all. I am also quite certain that you know the rules of your own planet- magic is tolerated, but don't use it if you don't have to."

Flora nodded and followed Faragonda out of her office and onto the main grounds. There, the gates were gleaming in the sun's rays, beckoning her to go on a fantastic journey. However, that surge of hope was soon gone as they left the Alfea grounds. Flora was happy to be going back home, but it wasn't like before; she was on a mission. While walking down the numerous corridors, Faragonda told her to not seek out family members and friends. She needed to find as much information as quickly as possible. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, and now that things were set in motion, turning back was out of the question.

"If you come into contact with Gaea while you're there, try and talk to her and figure out more of what she wants. I'm sure that once you're on Linphea, things will be easier and come to you more naturally. But you must not idle; time is precious to us and we don't have much of it."

They were standing in a small clearing that was a few metres away from the main gates, just near the entrance to the forest beyond the school's outer grounds. There, Faragonda turned towards Flora and chanted a spell under her breath. A pale white mist began to form around Flora, gently making its way around her and getting denser with each passing second. Faragonda's words could not reach Flora's ears, as if someone had put cotton in them to block out all sound. The ground beneath her sandals was different now; it had a buoyancy to it and was much greener too. The mist eddied away enough so that Flora could see that she was no longer at Alfea, but standing in one of the lush forests of Linphea. The familiar sounds of animals and the fresh breeze came to her from all directions, making her feel much at home.

Flora slipped off her sandals and walked around the small clearing she now stood in. The tall trees surrounded her and formed a nearly perfect circle; the sun's rays played through the gaps the leaves and branches made, making the area seem so celestial is took her breath away. The musty scent of the earth assaulted her nose, allowing her to breath in deeply and feel the energy coursing through each living thing as it breathed in with her.

However, Faragonda's words resounded through Flora's head. There was to be no time wasted in such activities like this. The faster she got to work, the better off she would be. There was also the matter of Helia to consider. Flora wanted him with her. She remembered the things he said to her that morning. They were both selfish it seemed, but she had never seen him so angry, not even that time when he had faked his expulsion from Red Fountain. Faragonda had not said how long it would take to gather all the information needed, thinking it would take several days. But if she could recollect her memories, Flora could remember that the library at Linphea was exactly like a forest; there was no definite entrance or exit.

With this in mind, she tried to keep her chin up for the task ahead. Perhaps asking the Sage would help. Heading off to see the Sage, Flora passed by people she had recognized, but could not stay and talk with them; she apologized for her behaviour, but simply told them that she was on an important mission. After much traveling, Flora came to a familiar mountain and staircase that led to where the Sage was.

And there she was, sitting within the pooling water that gently cascaded down the slopes. Wild flowers and vines dotted the ground; the ground was cool beneath Flora's bare feet.

"Come closer, Flora. I have been expecting you."

_To be continued…_


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N:** I apologize for the M.I.A., but school was a priority. Now that school is over, as well as exams, I will have all summer (when I'm not working full-time and such) to update this story. Happy reading, and reviews make me really happy. c:

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**7**

Flora took tentative steps towards the cascading pool. The Sage was seated atop a boulder that was covered in moss, and many vines had crept from the pools bottom to the edge, forming a barrier of sorts. However, when Flora stopped where the vines were, the Sage motioned for her to come closer.

"There is no need to be afraid, Flora. You have come on an important mission. It is your duty, nay, your right to find out about your real past."

With her palms sweating and her breathing becoming irregular, Flora wondered what lay ahead. Faragonda had only said to find out information on Gaea and why she wanted Flora. However, with what the Sage was saying, this entered a whole new dimension. Gaea herself was not whom she expected to be.

"There is only so much I can tell you, for there are things even I do not know. But what I will tell you will be the stepping stones to building up your future. When I am done, it is your choice to continue. You have every right to go back to Alfea and resume life as it once was, but if you do, then there will be dire consequences. Earth depends on your decision, but it is entirely yours to make. Are you ready, child?"

Not trusting her voice, Flora nodded. "The sit down on the pool's edge, and I shall tell you a magnificent tale." Instead of the Sage speaking, she had begun to form mist in the pool below her. Her voice resonated inside Flora's head, but it also appeared as if she were speaking as well. Once the fog disappeared, Flora could see images on the water's surface…

_Long ago, before Linphea, or any other planet had been born, Gaea, creator of life descended upon the chaotic cosmos. The multitude of suns, moons and stars were numerous, but no life was there to reap from such celestial beings. _

_Various rock debris from the far reaches of space had made their way into this solar system, and with it, the elements to create planets that could contain life. Giant rocks the size of various moons put together by Gaea's hand and the many sun's gravitational pulls. Soon, she had several planets created._

_No one knows how long it took her to create our cosmos; some say it took her seven days, while others say it took her seven years. The answer may never be known. However, we do know this: when she had done her job, it is said that she split herself in two; one half resided on Linphea, while the other half went to Earth. _

_The half that lived on Linphea was the half that bore you, Flora. You are Gaea's daughter. But, your upbringing could not last long with Gaea; Earth's humans had gotten out of control by abusing and altering their environment to the point where Gaea herself could feel the pain the planet was suffering through. She gave you to you foster parents while she went to Earth to try and save it._

_Until this day, she had remained on Earth, hoping to salvage what the humans have destroyed. A constant battle between the ever growing population and demands of what humans need and want. It is time for her to be reunited with her daughter so that they can save Earth, and make sure it sees another millennium. _

The images faded, so did the Sage's voice. Flora looked up at her, trying to place things after what she had just seen.

"You are the daughter of Gaea. The Daughter of the Forest. It is your time to be reunited with your mother so you can save Earth."

"But how-what can I do?" her voice squeaked, finally coming back to her. "All this time…I was born from a goddess? No, I can't do it. I just can't!"

The Sage looked at Flora, knowing too well that this information was just settling in, and trying to place things properly was coming at a slow pace. She could understand the pressure Flora had on her shoulders, and her unwillingness to cooperate on such a task.

"It is a lot to ask of one person, but you must understand Flora. You are not a fairy like the rest of your friends. You are not human. You were born so that when the time came, you would be reunited with your mother so that you and her could save Earth. The humans do not know what it means to sustain life. Magic is not known to them. And had they even had an iota of it, it would be used for all the wrong reasons. You have gone to Earth many times, Flora, you have seen the barbaric nature of the humans, but you have also seen the good. It is easy to be persuaded by temptation and do wrong, but it is harder to stay on the good path and make a wonderful difference. If you will not do it to save the planet, then go to your mother to save the humans. All forms of life need to live, and the humans need a second chance."

Flora took in what the Sage told her. She had fond memories of being on Earth, and to see everything there perish because she refused to help would weigh her down more than a black hole could.

After some thought and time, she had made her decision. "I will go to Earth, and I will go to my mother to save the planet and the humans. But can I have one day before I leave? Just one day."

"One day is all you may ask for. When dawn strikes, you must depart for Earth."

Flora thanked the Sage of Linphea. She had navigated herself back to Alfea where she told Faragonda everything. Not staying long enough to speak, Flora had one thing on her mind. Helia. She needed to see him before she left. Walking passed the common room in the professor's wing, not paying attention to her friends, she immediately went into her room and called Helia.

Flora didn't have to wait long for the line to pick up. "Helia? I need to see you. It's urgent."

"So, you're not a fairy-but a goddess?"

Hearing Helia say it sounded so alien to her ears. Flora herself was having a hard time taking it all in. "Seems so. Gaea is my mother, and the people I've come to know as my parents were only fosters. And yet they never told me of my true lineage. Perhaps Gaea said something to them, making them swear they would never reveal my true identity to me."

They were in Helia's attic apartment and it was nearing night. Despite returning to Red Fountain, the landlord decided to give the apartment to Helia after he had finished repainting the frescos and cleaned up the attic well.

The sofa they were sitting on had seen better days; paint smears and splatters marked several of the cushions, and the stuffing and seams were coming out, but despite all these blemishes, it was a comfortable piece of furniture. Flora had made them dinner, fresh garden salad with sole and a bottle of sweet red wine. They were facing one of the larger bay windows, watching as the sky grew dark and stars began to peek out.

Flora could have stayed at Alfea with her friends, but being with Helia now, especially when she would be leaving soon seemed right. She was sure Faragonda would have informed her friends about her situation, and most likely Bloom and the girls would offer to help. Flora wasn't sure what Faragonda would say, but perhaps this time, the headmistress of Alfea would refuse their cooperation in this matter. As much as they had all helped Bloom to find her lost family and lineage, this time seemed different. The countless times they risked their lives against numerous foes, each of them becoming stronger than the previous, and each of them having their own reasons for wanting power and Bloom's Dragon Fire. This time, everything seemed to be on a grander scale; Earth was involved, Bloom's home planet, and yet, it was Flora that was needed to save it, not Bloom. There was also Gaea to consider. From what the Sage of Linphea had told her, Gaea had been the creator of life, which far exceeded Bloom's Dragon Fire.

She did not notice that Helia wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. "Whatever it is that you have to face, I'll be there with you."

Hearing those words, Flora closed her eyes and gently pushed herself away from Helia. "No…you can't come with me, Helia. This is something that I have to do on my own."

"What do you mean? You can't save an entire planet by yourself. If you won't let the Winx help you, then at least let me be there with you."

This was not going to be easy. She had expected that this would happen, and she knew that Helia would say exactly what he had said. But she didn't imagine that it would be so hard to explain herself. She had mentioned everything the Sage had told her, but despite all this, there was the matter of making sure Helia would not follow her to Earth.

"I just can't. I know your reasons are just, and I think so too, but you, neither anyone else, can't come with me. Whatever Gaea needs me for it's important and dangerous-more dangerous than anything we've ever faced before, and I can't allow you, or anyone else to get hurt. This is my task. My sacrifice…"

When she had said the last two words, silence was thick in the air. Flora did not know if she would be making a return journey; the Sage, nor Faragonda ever mentioned anything about it. However, hearing herself say it seemed as if it were carved in stone.

Helia turned away and gazed out the window from where he was sitting. After several seconds, he placed his head in his hands and took deep breaths. From what Flora had just said, this was most likely their last night together. Who knew when he could see her again.

"You sound as if you won't be coming back. Do you really know what you're doing?"

Flora didn't answer him. Words seemed meaningless now, especially since the sun had set for the day, and the moon was on the rise. She did not know if a return journey was meant for her. Gaea wanted to be reunited with her daughter, and that could mean living a life soaring the cosmos-or perhaps death awaited her. She had been taught that the rules of nature were that something had to die in order for another thing to live. One could not exist while the other still breaths. Turning towards Helia, she made him face her, her hands cupping the sides of his face.

"I don't know what lies ahead of me, Helia. But what I do know is that I can't turn back now. I've come this far and I gave my word that I would do all that I can to protect and save Gaea's world. If I do this, it'll mean that other planets can survive too."

He didn't speak, not even after she had finished talking. Flora took this as a sign to continue.

"I know that I have a lot to lose if I go, but I just can't stand down now. I will come back for you, Helia. I promise," her voice grew soft as her eyes swelled with tears. She was frightened of what lay ahead. Her words seemed to echo through her brain, telling her that her promise to return was hollow, that they didn't mean anything. But not to say anything at all would only make things worse, and she only had one night to spend with the one she loved the most.

After what seemed like a while, Helia finally spoke. "I want to make this night special for you-for us." Not even letting her speak, Helia drew her close for a passionate kiss. His lips melded into hers, caressing her skin as he drew away from her mouth to trail his hot breath along her jaw. A slight touch of his tongue on her skin sent Flora's nerves in overdrive as she let out a soft moan. Her arms wrapping themselves around his neck, fingers playing in his dark hair, removing the elastic band that kept it neat and out of the way.

"Just this one night," he panted, "it's not enough…"

Their mouths kept dueling for purchase; caresses of soft skin and tongue, hands roaming over each other's bodies, clothes being removed, and finally finding themselves in the bedroom, the door closed behind them.

Helia was atop Flora, his hands planted on either side of her head, his hair cascading down like a dark curtain blocking out the moonlight. Flora was beneath him, her hands roaming over his chest, caressing his sinewy muscles and the pale charm that lent him such a striking complexion. Their eyes glowed in the glowing light of the moon, Helia leaning down for another deep kiss.

"I love you, Flora," he whispered, his voice low. Flora captured his lips in another kiss. "I love you," she whispered against his mouth. She repeated this words over and over again throughout the night, her arms wrapped around him tightly as he professed his love for her over and over again.

_To be continued…_


End file.
